Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that amid global and regional transformations, Armenia and Azerbaijan have begun to recognize shared interests and the interconnection of the destinies of the South Caucasus nations.
Speaking during the discussion “At the Crossroads of Leadership” at the 8th Paris Peace Forum, Pashinyan added that he was not sure whether Azerbaijan would agree with this assessment.
“Perhaps we have come to understand that the destinies of the South Caucasus countries are interlinked and that, after decades of hostility, this is becoming increasingly evident to us. We have begun to realize that there is a common denominator — the strengthening of independence, sovereignty, and statehood. History has shown that in this way, we both benefit,” Pashinyan said.
The Armenian Prime Minister recalled that Azerbaijan and Armenia gained and lost independence almost simultaneously:
“By the way, at the beginning of the 20th century, we gained independence together — within three days. In 1918, we became independent, and then, a few years later, we lost it simultaneously — Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia. In 1991, we again gained independence at the same time, together. And perhaps after some time, we realized that there may be a common threat to our independence. We decided to focus on the agenda of developing our statehood, protecting our independence and sovereignty.
In my view, this is a very important factor, although I am not sure that Azerbaijan’s assessment of this would be the same,” he concluded.
