Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) President Arayik Harutyunyan has said that only the authorities of Artsakh are authorized to speak on behalf of the population of Artsakh.

Harutyunyan’s remarks came after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in a virtual press conference that the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Republic has never been viewed as an Armenian entity, but as an Armenian and Azerbaijani entity, at least in terms of population.

The Karabakh President said the full recognition of the right of the Artsakh Armenians to self-determination is not subject to reservations and compromise, Artsakh Armenians being the only masters of the matter.

“The goal of the international recognition of the independence of the Artsakh Republic is our main guideline, no government can deviate from it,” Harutyunyan said in a statement.

“Therefore, the people and the authorities of Artsakh will never and in no way accept any status within Azerbaijan.”

According to him, there can be no return to the past, not only in terms of status, but also in terms of demographics.

Pashinyan later weighed in on the matter in a statement of his own, maintaining that the purpose of speaking about the rights of the Azerbaijani population of Nagorno Karabakh is to protect the right of the displaced Artsakh people to live in Artsakh.