Pashinyan: Outsourcing common in Armenia, doesn't undermine sovereignty

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said outsourcing does not compromise Armenia’s sovereignty. “There are already many examples of outsourcing in Armenia,” he told a press conference on Wednesday, citing Zvartnots Airport and water systems. “But I don’t think it undermines Armenia’s territorial integrity or sovereignty.”

Addressing regional transport links, Pashinyan stressed, “All processes are envisioned strictly within the framework of Armenia’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and jurisdiction.” He clarified that simplifying customs procedures is not a promise to any country, but to the Armenian people: “We want to make Armenia more competitive and appealing as a transit country.”

Pashinyan reaffirmed Armenia’s interest in opening transport infrastructures in the region. “We want bilateral trade, international transit and open communication routes from Armenia to Azerbaijan and beyond, and Azerbaijan through Armenia to third countries," he said.

Pashinyan confirmed that the idea of preliminarily signing a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan has been discussed. “There is such an idea,” he said. He noted that the Armenia-Russia-Azerbaijan deputy prime ministers’ trilateral format hasn’t functioned for a while due to “certain misinterpretations of the text, practical issues and a level of mistrust.”

Addressing the issue of Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan, Pashinyan stated: “There is no negotiation or conversation where this issue is not properly and necessarily raised.” When asked about reports claiming he refused to raise the issue with U.S. President Donald Trump, he responded: “I’m not aware of such a report.”

Regarding Armenia’s application to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Pashinyan stated this aligns with Armenia’s policy of balanced foreign relations. “We have applied for membership, and it fits our logic of balanced foreign policy,” he said. Addressing concerns about SCO members also being part of the CSTO, he replied, “The CSTO is one organization, this is another. We’ve said what we had to say about the CSTO; there's nothing more to add.”

Asked whether the U.S. made proposals about a route through Syunik province, Pashinyan confirmed: “From the U.S., we’ve received both official and unofficial communications… 90 percent of diplomatic work is done unofficially.”