Shahramanyan: How can the Armenian authorities consider the country safe when some parts of its territory are already occupied by Azerbaijanis?

In an interview with Le Figaro, Samvel Shahamanyan, the President of Artsakh, said that there is a government in exile in Armenia.

“Yes, the office of the President and the offices of the judicial and legislative bodies of Artsakh are located in the building where I am hosting you. Parliamentarians can gather here to vote. A decree was signed in October, which stipulates that all government ministers remain in their positions on a voluntary basis.”

When asked about the Artsakh Armenians’ possible return to their homes, Shahramanyan said:

“In the current situation, it is unrealistic to think about returning to our territory occupied by Azerbaijanis. We need to take into account the realities of the peoples of Azerbaijan and Artsakh, who consider themselves enemies. In Baku, Azerbaijanis are taught at school that Armenians are enemies. It will take years for the mindset of the Azerbaijani people to change and for peaceful coexistence between the neighbors to become possible. I am thinking here about the Armenians of Armenia as much as I think about the Armenians of Artsakh. How can the authorities of Yerevan consider their country safe when some parts of its territory are already occupied by Azerbaijanis and the leaders of Baku publicly declare their ‘rights’ to other [Armenian] territories?”