Yerevan highly appreciates Washington's efforts to promote Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations. Armen Grigoryan told "Voice of America," who met with White House National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan and other officials during his visit to Washington.

According to information from the Armenian side, the regional and broader extra-regional security situation and challenges were discussed at the meeting between US President's National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan and RA Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan. Issues of bilateral interest were also addressed, particularly the development of bilateral cooperation in the framework of energy, economy, and democracy.

The American side has yet to release any information about the meeting at publication. The Armenian service of "Voice of America" forwarded a request to the American side with a request to receive an official comment on the meeting. In case of receiving an answer, the Armenian service will immediately publish it.

In a conversation with the Armenian service of "Voice of America," speaking about his visit to Washington, the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia emphasized that the visit was mainly bilateral and covered a wide range of relations between Armenia and the United States. He says an excellent opportunity exists to deepen these relations and include new topics. "Democracy and US interest in the region open an excellent field for that cooperation. Security, economy, and We discussed the Energy agenda and will discuss how we can expand relations in the coming days."

Answering the question about peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Grigoryan emphasized that all negotiations are complementary and the agenda is almost the same in all places. He emphasized that the involvement of the United States in the region helps to ensure stability, and Yerevan highly appreciates Washington's efforts in advancing the negotiations. "Of course, there are problems that have not yet been resolved, but I can clearly say that Yerevan is firm on the peace agenda and is interested in the possibility of concluding a stable peace agreement as soon as possible because stability and peace in the region will naturally help Armenia's sovereignty and independence. And will also protect Armenia's democracy."

According to Armen Grigoryan, many problems in the negotiation process have yet to find solutions. According to him, one of the most critical issues is clarifying borders based on the 1975 map of the General Staff of the USSR. Grigoryan noted that there still needs to be a final agreement on the map, but work in this direction continues. In addition, according to him, it is necessary to create international mechanisms so that "Stepanakert and Baku discuss the security and rights of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians." He hoped the international community would make more significant efforts in this direction.

According to Grigoryan, the Nagorno-Karabakh problem was never a territorial one, and the concept on which the negotiations have been ongoing for a long time, that is, the security and rights of the Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh, does not refer to territories, but to people and their rights and security. "Armenia recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. In practice, it is so. And the only discussion we want to take place is between Stepanakert and Baku regarding the security and rights of Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh. And in this regard, I think that if progress is made, there has not been any territorial problem, and there won't be any."

Armen Grigoryan views these negotiations as the only effective way to address the main points of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem in the long term. "I think there is an opportunity to create an international mechanism. It is necessary to make greater efforts on the part of the international community, Stepanakert and Baku, to establish this international mechanism because it is the only option for stability in the region and for the international community to be involved in overcoming the conflict. I find it difficult to imagine overcoming the conflict without the international community's involvement."

According to a high-ranking Armenian official, when he says international mechanisms, Yerevan first imagines "negotiations that take place between Stepanakert and Baku and in which the international community is present." The international community's presence at these negotiations is already the logic of the international mechanism. Grigoryan insists that issues related to Nagorno Karabakh should be discussed at that table. "The international presence in the Lachin Corridor and Nagorno Karabakh will be very effective in this way because creating security and guarantees without an international presence will be difficult."

Armen Grigoryan emphasized that active negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan have been going on recently in Washington, Brussels, and Moscow. "Works are being carried out in all directions."

Answering the question about the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh, Grigoryan states, "Regarding the Russian peacekeepers, the expectations in Stepanakert are not justified. One of the problems is that the closure of the Lachine Corridor is a severe problem. As of November 9 [by the tripartite declaration], no presence of Azerbaijan was envisaged in the Lachin Corridor, and the peacekeepers' task was to ensure free movement through the Lachin Corridor. Today, there is no such shift, and we expect that the peacekeepers will carry out their mission in full and that the people living in Nagorno-Karabakh will not face such a humanitarian crisis because the ongoing crisis is deepening. The corridor has been closed recently; there has been no movement of goods. And this complicates life in Nagorno-Karabakh itself. The hope is that there will be no such crises. The main expectation is that the peacekeepers will be able to fulfill the functions within the scope of their mandate, i.e., ensure the safety of Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh."

Regarding unblocking roads, Grigoryan pointed out three guiding principles of Armenia. They are sovereignty, jurisdiction, and reciprocity. "The blockade is significant for Armenia. Armenia is most interested in this matter. Unblocking will mean the implementation of the concept of "Armenian Crossroads."

According to Grigoryan, with the implementation of this concept, which includes the construction and unblocking of the North-South highway, Armenia as a country becomes a more intensive participant in the regional trade circulation, which will bring additional income to the country, and economic activity can create additional security guarantees.

In response to the question regarding the recent proposal by former Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian to form a group of authorized diplomats and engage in negotiations, Grigoryan said: "I think Vardan Oskanyan had such an opportunity for ten years... He could not do it in ten years; how will he do it in three months?" Even with such a proposal, I am surprised by the perception of the state. Let's create a second or second state institution for such issues, which is very frivolous and should not be a subject of discussion because let's state that he had that opportunity and did not use it. Where does the excitement come from, that he can do it for the second time, in three months and through some incomprehensible people..."

During the interview, reference was made to Armenia's relations with CSTO. In this regard, Grigoryan emphasized that Armenia discusses all issues with CSTO member states and uses CSTO platforms to raise all issues and find solutions. "We see that the CSTO member states say in a certain way, at least publicly, that the problems raised by Armenia are legitimate. Our partners must understand that the issues we raise are legitimate. And we expect a solution to these problems."

In response to the question about Russia's failure to provide arms and ammunition to Armenia under the agreement, the Secretary of the RA Security Council emphasized that this remains an agenda issue in Armenian-Russian relations but was not discussed with the Russian side during the recent meeting of the Security Council secretaries in Minsk, "All problems should be openly and calmly discussed with our partners to find a solution because these problems are strategically important for Armenia. We hope these problems will be solved because they are essential for Armenia. We hope there is such a perception that they are essential for Armenia."

Speaking about the possibility of a new war in the region, Grigoryan noted that today the region is in an unstable phase. The war in Ukraine, geopolitical processes hurt the South Caucasus, which is added, according to Grigoryan, to "Azerbaijan's extremist policy, war rhetoric and steps taken," including various types of escalations, which keep the possibility of increasing tension in the region high. He emphasizes. "Azerbaijan is going that way and trying to destabilize the region. All responsibility for the escalation lies with Azerbaijan."

Whether Armenia's membership in economic and military alliances led by Russia does not hinder cooperation with the USA, Grigoryan notes that there is no current problem and that Yerevan strives to expand and develop the bilateral agenda.

Regarding Armenia's cooperation with the US and other countries in nuclear energy, Grigoryan noted that Armenia has proposals related to this sector apart from the US and Russia.