Alen Simonyan: Armenia cannot claim sovereignty without recognizing Azerbaijan's sovereignty

Political forces and figures who argue that Armenia should not have recognized Azerbaijan's territorial integrity—and should refrain from doing so in the future—are essentially rejecting Armenia's own territorial integrity, Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, Alen Simonyan said.

According to Report, Simonyan made this remark in a social media post, emphasizing that Armenia cannot exist within the framework of international law or engage in negotiations if it remains in a state of perpetual conflict with at least two of its neighbors.

"Those who insist that Armenia should always be at war with its neighbors are effectively pushing the country beyond the realm of international law, undermining its ability to participate in diplomatic negotiations," he stated.

He further warned that such rhetoric opens the door for external forces to interfere in Armenia’s affairs, ultimately threatening the country’s independence and statehood.

Simonyan also pointed out that Armenia shares borders with four countries, and by refusing to recognize one of these borders, the nation is, in effect, questioning its own existence.

Labeling such views as characteristic of "a fifth column and enemies," he concluded with a notable remark: "By the way, no Armenian government has ever officially declared that it does not recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity."