Armenian PM says will speak to Azerbaijani people directly, should the dialogue with political elite fail

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan calls on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to refrain from bellicose rhetoric and demonstrate constructive approach.

“I call on Aliyev to publicly agree with my formula that any solution to the Karabakh issue should be acceptable to the people of Artsakh, the people of Armenia and the people of Azerbaijan,” PM Nikol Pashinyan said during a Q&A session at the National Assembly.

“I have a feeling that the Azerbaijani leadership should feel uncomfortable that in my capacity as Prime Minister of Armenia I don’t avoid speaking directly to the people of Azerbaijan,” PM Pashinyan said.

He added that internal fears are one of the reason for increased belligerent rhetoric on the part of Azerbaijani leaders.

“Modern technologies and means of communication provide an opportunity to speak directly to the people of Azerbaijan,” he said.

According to Pashinyan, the Karabakh issue may well be not only a national security issue for the Azerbaijani elite, but also an issue of retaining property or power. However, the issue has a wider context for the peoples.

“I’ve never ruled out that should the dialogue with Azerbaijan’s political elite fail, I may chose to speak directly to the people of Azerbaijan, very openly and frankly,” Nikol Pashinyan said, adding that the option is always on the agenda.