Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that the issue of the former Azerbaijan SSR's enclaves under Armenia's control, as well as the village of Bashkend (Artsvashen), which is currently under Azerbaijan's control, cannot be abandoned.

Axar.az reports, citing Armenian media, he said that Armenia is not abandoning or could abandon, the enclaves-exclaves issue.

"No, we must move forward and find a solution. What that solution will be is a matter for discussion. We have moved the issue into a framework where it will not generate additional tensions, including for external use. The issue exists and must be addressed in accordance with the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration and the maps that serve as the basis for the delimitation process,” Pashinyan said.

He added that there are two possible approaches to resolving the issue.

“The first option is for the territory to remain an enclave or exclave belonging to the state to which it legally belongs. The second option is for us to reach an agreement and, for example, distribute equivalent territories along the border or make adjustments in specific areas. These procedures are provided for under both Armenian legislation and the Constitution, and we must address the issue accordingly,” he said.

Pashinyan also drew attention to what he described as an important detail. He said that only about a month or a month and a half ago he had learned that Azerbaijani banknotes and passports depict a map of Azerbaijan in which Artsvashen is shown in a different colour and marked as an enclave, indicating that it is not part of Azerbaijan.

“This is a very important nuance, and I believe we should adopt a reciprocal approach in order to treat the relevant maps under the Alma-Ata Declaration accurately, because that follows from our agreements and from the text of the initialled peace agreement. This is an important fact that should shape our policies, our attitude and our position, because we must understand one essential point: we should not be guided by the logic that whoever controls a territory owns it. Instead, we should be guided by the logic of the peace agreement,” Pashinyan said