Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan today reiterated his call for an international fact-finding mission in Karabakh, arguing that Baku’s propaganda machine is laying the groundwork for a large-scale attack on the country.

“Our assessment remains the same. The military-political leadership of Azerbaijan makes preparations for ethnic cleansing and genocide against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh," Pashinyan said at a cabinet session today.

Pashinyan said this threat of ethnic cleansing and genocide justifies the existence of a local defense force in Karabakh. He again denied Baku’s claim that Armenia has troops in Karabakh and that Yerevan is sending arms there.

In another jab at Russian peacekeeping forces in Karabakh, Pashinyan said if Russia cannot guarantee the safety of Karabakh Armenians Moscow should seek the seek help from the U.N. Security Council.

Pashinyan criticized Baku for including the issue of reintegrating Karabakh into Azerbaijan in recent talks with Stepanakert Armenian authorities.

He stressed that the return of Armenians displaced from their homes in territories now under Azerbaijani control, as enshrined in November 9, 2020 tripartite ceasefire agreement, must begin under the supervision of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

“I’ve instructed the foreign ministry to start official negotiations on this topic with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees," Pashinyan said.

He said that Yerevan has received Baku’s latest peace treaty proposals and will publish its comments soon.