The Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, has criticized the meeting with the Chinese ambassador to Armenia, Li Chenpin, regarding the announcement of the President of Armenia, Armen Sarkissian, given to the French LCI television channel. The Government of Armenia’s Office of the Prime Minister released a statement calling this announcement completely unacceptable and tension-inducing.

According to the statement, the Prime Minister expressed his concern that the President’s announcement goes against the interests of Armenia’s leadership and the expectations of its people. This action could potentially damage the friendly and cooperative relations between Armenia and China. The Prime Minister’s team viewed the President’s decision to make this announcement as a violation of the Constitution and an interference in the country’s internal affairs, which exacerbates the already challenging situation in Armenia. The public is also deeply worried about the President’s abrupt actions and new norms.

In the Prime Minister’s view, Armenia functions as a parliamentary republic, where the President does not have authority over the country’s foreign policy. This responsibility lies solely with the Armenian government. Therefore, the Prime Minister declared that the President’s announcement holds no binding significance and does not reflect the position of the Chinese government or its leader.

The Prime Minister’s statement shed light on the President’s announcement, highlighting that Armenia operates as a democratic republic, where the President does not wield the external political power of the state. The current leadership of Armenia exercises complete control over the country’s foreign policy, disregarding the President and his team’s position. The Prime Minister stressed that he perceives the President’s announcement as a historical fact that may bring certain issues to the forefront.