Armenia rules out Artsakh settlement amid Baku’s territorial claims

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia can’t hope for a settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict as long as Azerbaijan raves about capturing Yerevan or Zangezur, president Serzh Sargsyan told a joint press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart Rumen Radev.

Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev on February 8 made territorial claims against Armenia, claiming that "Yerevan Khanate and Zangezur-Goycha are Azerbaijan’s historic lands."

Asked about Azerbaijan’s plans to hold a snap presidential election in April, the president expressed doubts that Baku has now a sudden desire to settle the conflict.

“Baku has had a number of opportunities to reach a peaceful resolution but the Azerbaijani authorities’ action have led to us speaking about lost opportunities,” Sargsyan said.

Regardless of whether Azerbaijan is holding presidential or parliamentary elections, the president said, the conflict in Karabakh can be settled only in the event that Baku gives up its unrealistic expectations from the outcome of negotiations.