Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenian PM candidate Nikol Pashinyan has stated that the new government will not make a U-turn in foreign policy.

“If I am elected Prime Minister, Armenia will retain the membership in the Eurasian Economic Union and CSTO. This stance comes naturally from the logic of the popular movement. The Armenian people have demanded no changes in foreign policy and we must take into account that fact,” Pashinyan said at the special session of the National Assembly.

He has stressed he considers Russia to be Armenia’s strategic ally and the movement he leads poses no threat to the Armenian-Russian relations.

The people’s candidate has also noted he attaches special importance to the ties with Iran and Georgia and this political process will give new motivation and energy to Armenia’s relations with the closest neighbors.

According to Pashinyan, the relations with the European Union will strengthen as well:

“We will do everything possible to achieve visa-free regime with EU for Armenian citizens and we expect to launch the negotiations on the matter in the near future. Swift verification and full realization of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement is in our interests.”

According to Pashinyan, friendly relations with USA are in need of a new impetus. He has noted he intends to undertake concrete steps to boost Armenia’s collaboration with the U.S. in various areas. The PM candidate has also attached importance to strengthening cooperation with China.

Nikol Pashinyan has touched upon the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement as well. He has observed that “international recognition of the inviolable right of the Artsakh people to decide their own fate plays a vital role in peaceful settlement according to the international law”.

“We pledge commitment to the exclusively peaceful settlement that should be based on the principle of equality of rights and self-determination of the peoples. We need to give a new impetus to international recognition of the Republic of Artsakh, which has to become one of the most important directions of work for the Armenian Diaspora worldwide,” said Nikol Pashinyan.