Armenian Prime Minister Nicol Pashinyan will give up the Zangezur area to Azerbaijan instead of paying compensation for the damage caused in occupied regions of Nagorno-Karabakh, an opposition politician said, Eurasia Diary reports citing Yeni Safak.
The Republican Party of Armenia Spokesperson Eduard Sharmazanov, who previously served as the Vice President of the parliament stated: “Pashinyan will sit down on the negotiating table again and say we’re ceding control over Zangezur area because we do not have $50 billion.”
While recently liberating territories under Armenian occupation in a 44-day war, Azerbaijan is also planning to file numerous claims in international courts for damages caused by the occupation.
The Armenian opposition politician claimed that Baku may claim up to $50 billion in damages, which the Yerevan administration is unable to pay.
Sharmazanov also said Pashinian can no longer say anything to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev because he has no power anymore and will make concessions and give up Zangezur in return for $50 billion.
Relations between the ex-Soviet republics have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Upper Karabakh, also known as Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory recognized as part of Azerbaijan.
On Nov. 10, the two countries signed joint agreement to end the conflict.