Pro-government MP calls Armenia 'an island of peace' in tense region

Armenia is “an island of peace” in the turbulent region, a lawmaker from the ruling Civil Contract party said on Friday, pointing to what he described as balanced relations with neighboring countries.

Speaking at a press briefing, Civil Contract faction secretary Artur Hovhannisyan said there were currently no risks to agreements Armenia has reached with the United States and Azerbaijan.

Hovhannisyan said Armenia’s Security Council held a meeting on Thursday attended by National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan and Civil Contract MP Hayk Konjoryan, where potential risks were reviewed.

Commenting on a recent poll by the International Republican Institute (IRI) that showed the ruling party in the lead, Hovhannisyan said the results were “more or less predictable”, adding the actual outcome would only become clear after the vote.

“We will all see the real results on June 8,” he said.

Civil Contract lawmaker Arman Yeghoyan said Armenia’s balanced relations with its neighbors had helped maintain stability.

“Today, Armenia is to some extent an island of peace in the simmering region,” Yeghoyan said.

Referring to the IRI poll, he said Civil Contract is currently projected to win a simple majority rather than a constitutional majority in the parliament, although the election campaign has yet to begin.