Pashinyan: None of our strategic infrastructures can remain different as a result of demarcation

“None of our strategic infrastructures can be left to another as a result of demarcation. The meaning of demarcation is that de jure internationally recognized borders should be expressed on the line, on the ground”. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said this in an interview with Public TV Company, commenting on the process of demarcation and delimitation of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“We have an internationally recognized border, which should be expressed on the ground. Do you understand? The border should be expressed on the ground, and this comes from the interests of the Republic of Armenia. Now, if, for example, there will be situations when delimitation commissions come, including for infrastructures, organization of people's life this territory is necessary, which de jure, i.e. is on the territory of some country, but it is necessary, it is necessary to exchange the territories of that country, such situations, including according to the charter of demarcation issued by the OSCE, to which our opposition refers, it is not provided for there,” he said.

The Prime Minister emphasized that if such situations arise, it can be done only through a referendum.

“If the demarcation commissions come to a conclusion, we will say, people, this territory is de jure in the territory of one country, but the demarcation commissions have come to the understanding that you can exchange this territory with that territory, can the commissions do that? No, they can't. May I suggest? Theoretically yes, theoretically. I will say right away that there is no such topic now, it has never been discussed, but if such a situation arises, first, if the government considers it acceptable, it should come to the people and say: “People, there is such an option.

Shall we go with this option or not?” The people will decide whether we go or not. I want you to pay attention to this, because the line has its own thickness, its own layer. For example, when a line is drawn on a border, on a map, it is not a millimeter. On the ground, it could be four, three, one meter. I am not talking about these situations. Usually, even with those meters, the boundary point is defined in the middle of that width. And there is absolutely no problem there either,” Nikol Pashinyan said.

Reprinted from https://news.am/