Armenian authorities do not rule out holding a referendum if during the delimitation of the border with Azerbaijan the issue of exchanging territories arises, Armenian media reported.
A referendum is possible during the delimitation of the border with Azerbaijan, Nikol Pashinyan admitted. At a meeting with residents of Shinuhay village in Syunik, the Prime Minister noted that he admits a situation when some kind of exchange of territories will be proposed, for example, “give 100 square metres here and get 100 square metres there.” In such a case, the authorities cannot decide anything – a referendum will have to be held. He said:
It should be properly understood – we are not forming a new border with Azerbaijan, we are restoring the borders of the Soviet times.
He assured the villagers that the authorities will not cede a single metre of their own territory to Armenia. In this context, Pashinyan called rumours about the opening of the so-called “Zangezur corridor” empty talk, urging the villagers not to pay attention to these conversations.
Since May, Armenian residents opposed to the transfer of border villages to Azerbaijan have been holding protests. After clashes between law enforcers and demonstrators in Yerevan on June 12, 101 people were injured.
Meanwhile, the presence of US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma in Armenia indicates that the Biden administration is seeking to strengthen ties with Armenia. The US State Department’s Special Representative for Urban and Public Diplomacy, Ambassador Nina Hachigian, noted this in her remarks on Monday at the US-Armenia Local Democracy Forum that began in Yerevan.
