Armenian PM Pashinyan and US President Trump to meet

Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Zohrab Mnatsakanyan has announced that PM Nikol Pashinyan and US President Donald Trump will soon meet.

The announcement came at a press conference on September 6, during which Mnatsakanyan spoke about an impending meeting with his Azerbaijani colleague, Elmar Mammadyarov, in addition to relations with Russia and normalizing relations with Turkey.

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Mnatsakanyan did not mention the exact date, but noted the meeting between Pashinyan and Trump would take place in September.

Armenian PM Pashinyan will visit the United States in the end of September where he will speak at the 74th General Assembly of the UN. He will likely meet with Trump during this time.

Mnatsakanyan also noted that the meeting is important for his ministry as well, despite the fact that the Armenian – US dialogue is already active, and that questions and information are freely and easily exchanged between the two sides as is.

“There is no deficit of communication or discussion between us.”

Mnatsakanyan also touched on Russian-Armenian relations, noting there are no disagreements between the two states, and that relations continue on a firm setting.

“…there are some legal issues. But on an international level, we can pursue an agenda aimed at deepening our strategic relationship. There are no connections between legal processes and the relationship between the two countries. And there can’t be any”, he said.

This statement was made in reference to a recent event, reported by the Armenian prosecutor’s office on August 17, when Russia refused to extradite a former Armenian MP Migran Pogosyan, who has been accused of appropriating government funds and abusing his office.

Recently, Russian ambassador to Armenia Vardan Toganyan stated that the Russian side has simply asked for more documents and evidence, but has no refused.

On relations with Turkey: “there’s no good news”

Touching in turn on Armenian – Turkish relations, Mnatsakanyan said Turkey does not want to repair relations.

“The blockade on Armenia continues, [their biased] attitude towards the Karabakh conflict is obvious. We are ready to restore diplomatic relations without preconditions. But for this, the desire is needed on both sides. I cannot say that there is good news.”

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The next meeting between foreign minister on Karabakh

Mnatsakanyan announced an upcoming meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Mammadyarov on the Karabakh conflict resolution process.

“The meeting has been planned, it will take place soon, but there are agreements for the date and place to be announced simultaneously”, Mnatsakanyan said.

He added that Armenia has on multiple occasions stated the need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, and the number of active meetings of the heads of the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministries is evidence to this.