Sputnik. Nikol Pashinyan stated that if the soldier who crossed the border had not committed a crime in Armenia, he would have been returned to Azerbaijan on the same day.

 

There is no discussion about the possible extradition of Azerbaijani serviceman Nasimi Musaev; Baku is not demanding it. This was stated today by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan after a government meeting, responding to journalists' questions.

 

«Azerbaijan itself has initiated a criminal case and issued a statement. Azerbaijan may want to conduct an investigation regarding their criminal case as well. That soldier, when he goes to Azerbaijan, will not be going to their home; he will also be tried in Azerbaijan. What question are you discussing, can it ever be... What should I say, no, that soldier must remain in Armenia forever? How long should he stay in the Republic of Armenia?» said Pashinyan.

 

The Prime Minister reminded that the Azerbaijani serviceman is detained because a crime has been committed according to the legislation of the Republic of Armenia. At the same time, Pashinyan noted that he does not know whether the Azerbaijani serviceman has been interrogated, as he is not familiar with the details of the criminal case. He mentioned that everything will be clear after the court's decision.

 

Pashinyan stated that if the soldier who crossed the border had not committed a crime in Armenia, had not fired at an Armenian citizen, he would have been returned to Azerbaijan on the same day.

 

«The problem is not the soldier getting lost and crossing over, but that he entered people's homes, fired, and harmed a person... I do not think this is an issue that could somehow jeopardize the peace process...» said the Prime Minister of Armenia.

 

He assured that the authorities have no tendency to underestimate the Shaki incident.

 

Pashinyan reiterated his point that what happened is an ordinary, criminal act.

 

«It is a cross-border crime. We have other cases of cross-border crimes as well—drugs are constantly being exported to Armenia, transiting from Armenia; there is no need to create an apocalypse out of all this,» declared Pashinyan.

 

On October 1, it became known that an Azerbaijani serviceman had infiltrated the Shaki community of the Sisian region, spent the night in one of the houses, and then shot 39-year-old Ani Avetisyan in the leg. The injured woman managed to stab the Azerbaijani with a knife. Ani Avetisyan's 15-year-old son also sustained injuries and was transferred to the Sisian Medical Center. Ani Avetisyan is currently at the «Saint Gregory the Illuminator» Medical Center in Yerevan.

 

A two-month detention has been applied to Musaev.