If we don’t change our relations in region we won’t be able to manage threats – Prime Minister

• 01.10.2023, 16:00
•  Region,  World,  Armenia

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan says without changing Armenia’s relations in the region it is impossible to manage the threats, Armenpress reports.

Pashinyan made the remarks at a press conference when asked on the recent Turkish-Azeri military exercises and the Armenian military’s re-equipment processes.

The Armenian Prime Minister refused to publicly discuss issues related to the military’s re-equipping and arsenal. "It is a fact that we have very serious problems in the security sector, this can’t be denied. But the fact that we are doing everything to solve these problems is also obvious at least from the figures that are publicly available in the budget, in both the 2022 performance report and the planned one for 2023," PM Pashinyan said.

PM Pashinyan said that the combat-readiness of the military is highly important and that peace is not possible without a combat-ready army, but at the same time peace isn’t possible solely with a combat-ready army as well.

"No one can deny that the peace agenda is a necessity for Armenia and in general. No development should deviate us from that necessity and vision. The military exercises and military provocations can have the goal of declaring the peace agenda fake and removing it from the agenda. But the fact that Azerbaijan continues aggressive policy against Armenia is obvious," Pashinyan said.

Asked whether or not "Turks are enemies", Pashinyan said that there is a historic reality that one cannot change even if he wanted to, but that the feeling of animosity must be managed.

"Our strategic approach must be the following, we must give the answer to one question, how do we position ourselves in this region? Do we position ourselves as a neighbor and partner, or for example, conditionally saying an outpost, or a warrior for historical justice, or a state that must teach lessons to other states on how to live. These are choices, a menu so to say, and our government has made a choice," the Armenian Prime Minister said, noting however that it’s not a fact that this choice will be acceptable for others.