Pashinyan: Karapetyan`s refusal to come to negotiations is  conditioned by his negotiating potential

ArmInfo. The Republican Party is completely confused, the leader of the "Make a step" movement, opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan is convinced. As Pashinyan noted at a  press conference in Yerevan, the RPA representatives recently announced their readiness to conduct negotiations without preconditions. "But, as you can see, Mr. Karapetyan's place is empty, and my backpack occupies it," the deputy said.

Pashinyan believes that Karapetyan's refusal to come to the talks is  due to his uncertainty in his negotiating potential. "And if he is  not sure about his negotiating potential before the people, how will  he negotiate with Azerbaijan on Karabakh settlement," the  oppositionist exclaimed.

Touching upon the Karapetyan-Putin talks held yesterday, the deputy  expressed his conviction that Russia is a state that respects  international law and it refrains from interfering in Armenia's  internal affairs. In this context, the deputy once again considered  it necessary to emphasize that this is an exclusively internal matter  of Armenia, and the situation has no geopolitical implications.

He also found it difficult to say why the representatives of the  Armenian government traveled to Moscow these days, the deputy  suggested that this is due to the lack of support within the country.  "They want to create the appearance of having support inside the  country." Actively, acting Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan also wants  to create the impression that he has outside support, but I believe  that such actions are not worthy of respect, since this is internal  affairs of Armenia and hardly any foreign countries will interfere in  these processes, "the leader of the opposition movement said.

However, Pashinyan found it difficult to comment on the legality of  Karapetyan's nomination for the post of prime minister due to the  fact that he did not live in Armenia for a long time. (The Armenian  Constitution establishes a strict qualification for compulsory  residence on the territory of the country for deputies and Cabinet  members for the last 4 years). According to him, it is difficult to  comment on this issue for lack of reliable information, and in this  regard called upon the relevant public organizations to address these  issues. The deputy added that this will not change his political  position towards Karapetyan.

"Now the question is, what task do we solve? The question is not who  will be the prime minister, but whether we want to solve this crisis  or not." If the RPA wants to go on deepening the crisis, then we will  take this step thinks that we will go backward, he is wrong, we will  not allow anyone to take his victory from the people, "Pashinyan  said.

The deputy also did not understand the excitement caused around  Putin's statement that the issue should be resolved within the  framework of recognition of the results of the 2017 parliamentary  elections. "We also affirm that the National Assembly, formed  following the results of the 2017 elections, must elect a popular  candidate for the premieres, that is, we are not saying that the 2012  parliament must elect a premier," Pashinyan said ironically.