2023 July 25

Daily news wrap-up

Press conference by Pashinyan: Negotiation process, blockade, secession for salvation, economy, peacekeepers, Oskanian, UN Security Council, French weapons, ...
by ar_david_hh

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Collection of notable parts from the press conference. It's mostly a summary, not a word-for-word translation. I'll add clarifications in [square brackets].

... opening statement

PASHINYAN: The world order is being decided in Ukraine. These are uncertain times for Armenia and others. The traditional East-West formula no longer functions in the South Caucasus.

It is for this reason that Armenia must adopt a non-confrontational policy in our region. Armenia must clarify its place in the architecture of the South Caucasus. The states in our region should not have conflicts with each other. The blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh doesn't make it easy to accomplish this, but nevertheless, peace remains our primary goal.

... pensions, high-tech, economy

PASHINYAN: June 2023 set a new record in the number of jobs in Armenia: 719,224.

New jobs created since May 2018: 171,000.

Avg. salary in June, YoY: +13.7% (+$85)

Soldiers and teachers are undergoing an attestation process to prove their skills in exchange for a raise. Today we have teachers earning ֏507,000 ($1,300). There are already 22 teachers earning ֏400,000 ($1,035).

Today some army contractors earn ֏599,000 ($1,550) including taxes. Their salaries have doubled.

In 1Q2023 the tax collection exceeded expectations by ֏50b ($129m).

Pensions increased in July again. For the first time in our republic's history, the minimum pension almost equals the minimum food basket. And if we take into account the cashback program for seniors who make purchases with cards, then the minimum pension is higher than the basket. This is a historic mark.

In 1H2023, the tech sector's turnover +90%, the number of jobs +40%, the number of companies +70%.

... Nagorno-Karabakh's role in peace talks

REPORTER: Nagorno-Karabakh [NK] says it won't accept any diplomatic concessions made by Armenia. At the same time, they refuse to negotiate with Azerbaijan unless the latter ends the ongoing policies of ethnic cleansing. What's the solution?

PASHINYAN: Armenia cannot decide the fate of the Nagorno-Karabakh people. The representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh must be a party to negotiations. The safety and rights of the Nagorno-Karabakh people must be discussed in the presence of Nagorno-Karabakh representatives, with a direct dialogue with Azerbaijan through an international format. This format would allow the government of Nagorno-Karabakh to discuss the pressing issues. This would also put them in charge, and they would bear certain responsibilities.

It is yet to be decided whether the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement will make any mention of Nagorno-Karabakh. Our position is that it should not. The NK-Azerbaijan issues should be discussed separately.

REPORTER: Last year you said that lowering the "status" bar would ensure an international consolidation around Armenia, yet the Lachin Corridor is closed today. Were you wrong?

PASHINYAN: The international community has, in fact, adopted a pro-Armenian stance. Verdicts and resolutions were adopted in the UN World Court, PACE, European Parliament, and statements were made by several UNSC members. This is obviously not enough, but you should understand that the statement about the need to lower the bar was first and foremost necessary for us [to prevent escalation].

... Aghdam road

REPORTER: Brussels wants the Aghdam road to open in addition to the Lachin Corridor. Did you discuss the opening of this road in Brussels?

PASHINYAN: No. And I don't even have a mandate to discuss an Aghdam road. I do have the mandate to discuss the Lachin Corridor because it was formed by the Nov. 9 tripartite statement co-signed by me.

REPORTER: So Charles Michel's post-meeting statement about the Aghdam road was NOT "co-authored" by you?

PASHINYAN: Correct.

REPORTER: There are negotiations in Brussels, Washington, and Moscow. Is there a conflict between them?

PASHINYAN: No, because the negotiating parties remain the same: Armenia and Azerbaijan. The logic remains the same. These platforms complement each other.

... the return of refugees

REPORTER: Azerbaijan wants to discuss the "return of ethnic Azeris who left Armenia". What's your stance on it?

PASHINYAN: In response to our calls to ensure the rights and security of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians, Azerbaijan wants to address the issue of Azeris who left Armenia after the fall of the USSR. Our response is that the topic of Azeris who lived in Armenia should be discussed under the context of Armenians who lived in Azerbaijan, for example, Baku and Sumgayit. The issue of Nagorno-Karabakh is entirely a separate topic, legally and conceptually.

The Nagorno-Karabakh refugee issues are regulated by the Nov. 9 document, which states that refugees and IDPs shall return to their homes with the help of the UN. This is about the return of Armenians to Shushi, Martuni, Hadrut, Askeran, Martakert, Getashen, and Shahumyan.

Separately, there is the question of the rights and security of the Armenian population outside of Karabkh, many of whom were massacred in Baku and Sumgayit. As for Azeris who lived in Armenia, we have evidence that many of them sold their homes and voluntarily left Armenia.

... Armenia as a pawn

REPORTER: Russia-Turkey relations are souring again. How will this affect Armenia?

PASHINYAN: What matters is whether the disagreements reach a point of hostility. I've mentioned the role of geopolitics in the opening statement.

Throughout the entire history of our state, we acted within the logic of confrontation. This has been our biggest problem. It served as a barrier to our security and long-term development.

... consulting with others

REPORTER: Are you willing to meet former presidents to discuss the negotiation process?

PASHINYAN: I'm not against it. As you may know, during the 2020 war the former presidents of Nagorno-Karabakh invited me to a meeting. I accepted it but they later canceled their participation.

... Vardan Oskanian's ideas

REPORTER: Ex-MFA Vardan Oskanian has proposed some ideas.

PASHINYAN: I did not find anything practically useful in his proposal, or anything that hasn't already been done.

For example, Oskanian says we must emphasize that Nagorno-Karabakh had a status of an Autonomous Oblast during USSR. He essentially copied the words of the president of the European Council, which were made after my meeting with Aliyev. In that meeting, we noted that Nagorno-Karabakh was an Autonomous Oblast in USSR. We reestablished the same during the latest meeting as well. So all of that was already done and publicized *before* Oskanian's proposal.

Everyone has ideas, and Oskanian had a decade to successfully execute his. I've spoken about Oskanian's negotiation record during the [War Commission session](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/14eypwv/tldr_pashinyan_reveals_details_from_the_2020/).

... Azerbaijan's maximalism

REPORTER: For decades, Armenia was not ready to accept any solution without a status for Nagorno-Karabakh, while Azerbaijan rejected an independent status for Nagorno-Karabakh. It led to war. Are you concerned that we'll have another war soon, since we have a similar gridlock today? Today Armenia says the rights and security of NK people is a "red line", while Azerbaijan says it won't discuss any rights and security.

PASHINYAN: At least around the negotiation table, Azerbaijan is not outright rejecting the idea of discussing the rights and security of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians. On the other hand, the statements made by their public officials show unwillingness on their part.

On the other hand, it baffles me when some in Nagorno-Karabakh outright reject the idea of holding direct talks with Azerbaijan to discuss that topic. It should be noted that others [Samvel Babayan] in Nagorno-Karabakh support such dialogue.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to recognize each other's territorial integrity, but that doesn't change the fact that the Nagorno-Karabakh issue is yet to be addressed. The parties don't trust each other. This is why the Stepanakert-Baku dialogue must take place through an international mechanism.

... UN Security Council

REPORTER: Will you ask the UN Security Council to discuss Azerbaijan's refusal to follow the UN World Court's order on the unblocking of the Lachin Corridor?

PASHINYAN: We're working in that direction as well. We are in touch with permanent and non-permanent members of the UNSC. There are ongoing discussions. It only takes an hour for us to request the UNSC to intervene, but preparatory work is necessary to ensure the outcome is pro-Armenian. Don't forget that UNSC is also a political structure, they don't blindly execute World Court orders.

... Russia annexes Nagorno-Karabakh? 🤔

REPORTER: Have you and your colleagues from Nagorno-Karabakh or Russia discussed the possibility of Nagorno-Karabakh becoming part of Russia? Is it realistic?

PASHINYAN: I've never held such discussions. [Body language indicates that *others* might have discussed that.]

REPORTER: Can you house 120,000 residents of Nagorno-Karabakh in Armenia if the Azerbaijani regime forcefully removes the population? How much would it cost, and how would you organize it?

PASHINYAN: There are no such discussions. It's about ensuring conditions for Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians to live in their homeland.

... peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh

REPORTER: Turkey wants the Russian peacekeepers to leave in 2025. Do you believe they will leave? What would happen then?

PASHINYAN: There is a *reason* why peacekeepers were deployed there. Russia's [security agencies] gave Putin the authority to deploy peacekeepers. These authorization documents state that peacekeepers are necessary to prevent mass killings of the local population. It was Putin who requested this authorization from the relevant structures to "prevent mass killings".

So if Russia decides to leave Nagorno-Karabakh now, does that mean there is no longer a threat of mass killings? This could be the case only if there was a successful NK-Azerbaijan direct dialogue under an international mechanism.

... the government of Nagorno-Karabakh

REPORTER: Lachin Corridor is closed. What can Armenia do to ensure Russia is following through with its duties?

PASHINYAN: We can always agree that Russia must do this, the world must do that, but is the government of Nagorno-Karabakh doing its part? Is there anything that Nagorno-Karabakh itself can do to end the crisis? I believe there is, and we are ready to assist them with that.

The Nagorno-Karabakh government must step forward and express resolute commitment to discuss with Azerbaijan the rights and security of Armenians, within an international mechanism.

I'm in touch with the president of Nagorno-Karabakh on a daily basis. The old world order is gone. We may expect other countries to intervene to help solve our problem, but these countries can't even solve their own problems today.

... opposition parties & Hayaqve

REPORTER: Some opposition parties are holding protests and expressing ideas against a peace treaty.

PASHINYAN: They may have noble intentions, but their policies would guarantee another 30 years of conflict and confrontational policies for Armenia, which we simply cannot afford. You have to realize that we were on the brink of losing our Republic after the 2020 war. It was saved almost miraculously. We got there because of confrontational policies. I personally have learned from these mistakes.

REPORTER: The opposition wants to prohibit you from signing a "treacherous peace agreement". Are you willing to publish the peace agreement document, perhaps to tame the concerns?

PASHINYAN: The opposition has access to the so-called "document". I've invited them to read it behind closed doors. It's not a "secret" document, its logic has been publicized, but the negotiation papers cannot be published because 1) Diplomatic ethics, 2) Parts of them could change over time. You can't serve an uncooked dish.

The opposition refused to read it, knowing very well they wouldn't be able to call us traitors after reading it. You can't read it, see the pro-Armenian efforts, then publicly call it treacherous without subconsciously having a conflict with yourself.

REPORTER: Ex-president Serj Sargsyan wrote a letter to foreign leaders asking for assistance to lift the blockade. Do you support it?

PASHINYAN: I support the concept, but it begins with a paragraph of complaint on how terrible the government of Armenia is. The reader might think the blockade is done by us, not Azerbaijan. It's shameful and counterproductive and discredits our cause. When I was an opposition figure I never allowed myself to badmouth our illegitimate leader while sending similarly themed letters to international colleagues.

REPORTER: The opposition wants to legally prohibit the Armenian government from recognizing Azerbaijan's territorial integrity on 86,600 km^2.

PASHINYAN: Banning Armenia from recognizing Azerbaijan's territorial integrity is the same as banning Azerbaijan from recognizing Armenia's territorial integrity. This is a guaranteed path to an armed conflict. There are figures in Armenia who do not care about Armenia's 29,800 mk^2, but I do. I am the prime minister of 29,800, not more or less. For many decades, including during my early years as PM, we blurred Armenia's independent statehood by ignoring our 29,800. Not anymore.

People who created and disseminated official maps that depicted Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding territories as part of Armenia were probably thinking they were on some kind of a positive historic quest. In reality, they were just smothering our statehood.

People always make a toast for "peace" during gatherings, but the government has never given an honest explanation of how that peace could be achieved. We have always lied to our people. I've [revealed details from the negotiation history](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/14eypwv/tldr_pashinyan_reveals_details_from_the_2020/): Armenian government had adopted a strategy of deception during the negotiation process. What they promised to the public was unrealistic and unachievable from the very first day, let's say from the Lisbon conference. People were kept in the dark while the number of toasts kept increasing.

REPORTER: Do you have the authority to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan without hearing the public opinion?

PASHINYAN: We cannot decide the fate of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. Only they can decide their fate. I have the mandate to make decisions about the Republic of Armenia only, and my goal is to secure Armenia's 29,800 km^2 and the rights and freedoms of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians.

... Putin recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan in December 2020

REPORTER: Russia claims its hands are tied and it can't help end the Nagorno-Karabakh blockade because Armenia very recently "recognized Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan". {Read the context [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/157qsy7/russia_washes_its_hands_off_from_the/). Analysts break down Russia's attempt to shift the blame to Armenia with disingenuous claims.}

PASHINYAN: I knew you would ask that, so I brought Vladimir Putin's statement made on 17 Dec 2020. Putin said: The international law says that all these territories belong to Azerbaijan. Armenia itself has not recognized the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh, so from the legal perspective, Nagorno-Karabakh is also part of Azerbaijan. //

Nevertheless, Russia sent peacekeepers because they concluded there was a threat of mass killings of civilians and mass damage to civilian infrastructure. These threats continue to exist. Armenia did not recognize Azerbaijan's territorial integrity on 6 Oct 2022. The Almaty Declaration has been part of Armenian law since 1992.

Was there *any* OSCE Minsk Group member that *didn't* recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan? None.

[Reads a pro-Azeri statement made by France's OSCE co-chair on 8 Jan 2020.]

[Reads a statement made by U.S. State Department in 2012-2016: With the help of Armenia, the separatists continue to control the majority of Nagorno-Karabakh and 7 other territories of Azerbaijan.]

There was a time, there was a geopolitical era, when Armenia's strategy was to ignore the international community's opinion and pursue its own policy. We had a bitter wake-up call. Are we in a position go against the whole world today?

We should not always run to world powers and ask them to help resolve our problems. That is not always the best option. So is the government of Nagorno-Karabakh doing its part to decide its own fate?

[Russia shifting the blame on Armenia] is in reality them complaining about Armenia's 30-year history of making "too many phone calls" to Moscow with requests for help. How long are we going to send a "letter to the Russian tsar"? Moscow and the world have their own problems today. The Republic of Armenia must mature and learn to address its own problems.

... "competing" negotiation platforms

REPORTER: Describe the "competition" between Washington, Brussels, and Moscow.

PASHINYAN: The negotiating parties remain the same: Armenia and Azerbaijan. The content is also the same. The platform host, be it Moscow or Washington, occasionally offer ideas when they notice that the parties are unable to come to an agreement over something, over a wording or a phrase. There is no conflict between the hosts in this regard.

If you've noticed, in the beginning, the West and Russia were highly critical of one another's platform. But recently the rhetoric has changed [Moscow said it welcomes Brussels meeting]. They say they welcome any platform that contributes towards reaching an agreement. It's a small detail but a noticeable one.

... neighbors > West and Russia

REPORTER: During an interview with France-Presse you said that Armenia is not between West and East, but rather between Georgia, Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkey. Does that mean Armenia will pursue the localization/regionalization of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict? What will be the role of the regional 3+3 platform? Does that mean the diminishing of Western positions?

PASHINYAN: Of course not. You started by accurately citing my statement but then drifted away with incorrect assumptions. We are not pushing the West out of the region. Have you noticed that most of the negotiations this year took place on Western platforms? That is also because Russia is preoccupied with the Ukraine conflict; we are not pushing Russia out.

My statement was about better understanding who we are and *where* we are. For too long we've acted as if there is only Armenia, West, and Russia. But that isn't true. We don't even have a border with Russia. We can't get there without using the land/air of one of our neighbors. The same about the West.

We don't even have direct access to the global internet. It needs to travel through Georgia or another neighbor... at least until we have full access to a satellite network.

We shouldn't overly rely on the West or Russia to solve our problems. Serj Sargsyan was boasting that "I'm not negotiating with Azerbaijan, I'm negotiating with the OSCE Misnk Co-Chairs", as if that was a good thing. "Who the hell is Azerbaijan for me to talk to them?"

Serj will come and go, Nikol will come and go, but the people of Armenia will remain neighbors with Azeris, not with Russians or French. We are trying to build a sustainable future for Armenia.

God forbid Yevgeny Prigozhin's coup lasted not 1.5 days but 1.5 months, are you sure the peacekeepers would remain in Nagorno-Karabakh? The events of the early 20th century could play out again.

... OCSE Minks Group

REPORTER: Last year Russia's OSCE co-chair Khovayev presented a proposal but the efforts to reach an agreement with Azerbaijan failed. Has anything changed since then? Any new proposals by Khovayev?

PASHINYAN: No. The position of Russia and the West are closer than ever.

REPORTER: Aliyev claims he has information about efforts to revive the OSCE Minsk Group.

PASHINYAN: ...

REPORTER: ...

PASHINYAN: What is your question?

REPORTER: Dat you?

PASHINYAN: Armenia is taking steps to maximize the effectiveness of the negotiations. The Minsk Group was never actually dissolved. The Western and Russian co-chairs refused to meet each other after the events in Ukraine. The freezing wasn't because of changes in our region. They can decide to resume their meetings at any time. There might be certain processes "outside" of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

... Nikol = traitor

REPORTER: People want to know why you don't use the word "Artsakh" anymore. Why do you use "Nagorno-Karabakh"? Why are you avoiding the Armenian name?

PASHINYAN: We signed a tripartite statement on Nov. 9 that established "Nagorno-Karabakh", gave it borders, and a corridor. Soon after, Azerbaijan claimed there was no such thing called Nagorno-Karabakh. Miraculously, some people in Armenia have since adopted Azerbaijan's position.

Use "Artsakh", why don't you say "Artsakh"... What exactly is "Artsakh"? Does anyone outside Armenia even know what "Artsakh" is? We are struggling to convince the world that Nagorno-Karabakh exists, that's the term they recognize, and you want us to stop using that term now? Artsakh's own Constitution refers to the country as "Nagorno-Karabakh".

Did we not sign a paper that establishes the borders of a territory called "Nagorno-Karabakh"?

Or is this noise being raised so that some folks can make even more patriotic toasts? Some "dear comrades" continue with their myths about "unbreakable" this and that. Don't make me remind you every day that long traffic lines had formed to leave Stepanakert on the second day of the war. Do you know how many of these "patriotic toast-makers" were fleeing at the speed of 300 km/h?

REPORTER: A resident of Artsakh accuses you of surrendering 80% of their homeland and Shushi. Why don't you resign?

PASHINYAN: 1) I've already resigned, and was reelected. 2) 80% of *whose* homeland? Because Serj Sargsyan was claiming that the 7 regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh were never his homeland: "Aghdam was not our homeland" - Serj Sargsyan. 3) There are criminal charges and a primary suspect in the case of the fall of Shushi, and there might be more. REPORTER: A resident of Nagorno-Karabakh criticizes your wife for sharing food pictures on social media, and blames you for the blockade.

PASHINYAN: Save the cheap propaganda so I won't be forced to remind you about this every time: During the difficult days of the war you couldn't find many male and female residents in Stepanakert, so my wife went there to coordinate humanitarian efforts for those hiding in bomb shelters. You should have seen the number of able-bodied male residents from Nagorno-Karabakh enjoying their time in Yerevan restaurants in the middle of the war. So I advise you not to bring up this topic ever again. I know which former president is behind this propaganda and why.

My wife recently posted images of vegetables grown in our backyard. You can grow tomatoes, eggplant, and okra in Nagorno-Karabakh, too. She didn't do it to show off a "good life" while others sit under a blockade. It was a basic vegetable soup from our garden.

My administration sent large quantities of aid to Nagorno-Karabakh to help the government of Nagorno-Karabakh to maintain agriculture and pay pensions and state salaries. Is it the tomato from our backyard that rattled some people?

[Kocharyan's ally and Nagorno-Karabakh "hero" Vitali Balasanyan] was arrested in Nagorno-Karabakh a week ago. It was also reported that he possessed a whole bunch of donated goods that were stolen instead of being sent to frontline soldiers during the 2016 war. *[Balasanyan allegedly kept stashes of stolen cigarettes and began to sell them to the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh at a marked-up price during the blockade.]* Do you really want to teach me patriotism by bringing these "heroes" as an example? Balasanyan [his son] reportedly took funds from the Nagorno-Karabakh budget [distributed as aid from Armenia], and allegedly some cash from Azerbaijan to fix an electrical transformer. Where did the money go?

If there are no eggplants in Nagorno-Karabakh today, then what happened to the hundreds of millions of dollars in aid sent from Armenia? Can the public officials in Stepanakert explain? Was it not possible to take care of food reserves?

There are way too many "heroes". These "heroes" struck 50/50 deals with Azerbaijan [to co-manage source resources], but somehow I am the one that's Turkish agent, while they are the hero.

Did you know that [Nagorno-Karabakh government, through a delegation led by Vitali Balasanyan] negotiated with Russia and Azerbaijan, *without* a prior agreement with Armenia, to shut down the original Lachin road? [not to be confused with the new road blockaded by Azerbaijan]

It was the government of Armenia that had to bear the burden and consequences of their decision. Was it also us who committed that "treason"?

Too many officials are acting as bloggers today. Should have planted eggplants instead of livestreaming. These livestreamers were livesteaming from Yerevan during the war while my wife was doing the work in Stepanakert.

It is unacceptable for certain officials from the Nagorno-Karabakh government to organize road closures in Yerevan.

It is incomprehensible how much wealth certain former presidents have accumulated. Did Robert Kocharyan inherit a few hundred million dollars from his grandfather's silk factory? Or did it come from party membership fees? [Context: Prosecutors have launched a massive asset forfeiture case against Kocharyan's family.]

The bottom line is, eating eggplant is now considered treason in Armenia...

... autonomy, self-determination

REPORTER: Ex-MFA Vardan Oskanian, an experienced diplomat, believes it's still possible to protect Artsakh's self-determination and autonomy.

PASHINYAN: Did I get it right that Oskanian mentioned self-determination and *autonomy*? But those are conflicting terms in this context. One day Oskanian wants to criminalize any recognition of Karabakh within Azerbaijan, and the following day he supports Karabakh within Azerbaijan. Because in this case, autonomy means being part of Azerbaijan.

Vardan Oskanian was our lead negotiator [even under Levon Ter-Petrosyan]. I published the Lisbon papers during the War Commission session. In the statement made by the Lisbon conference president, the right to self-determination was presented as an autonomy *within* Azerbaijan. So a question arises, does Oskanian accept that the true logic of his negotiation process was to grant Karabakh autonomy within Azerbaijan, and that the "experienced diplomat" Oskanian was unable to accomplish even *that*? This is the logic of the Lisbon statement vetoed by Armenia: "Karabakh can realize its right to self-determination by having autonomy within Azerbaijan."

Our public was made to believe that "self-determination" meant "independence". That just wasn't the case.

My stance is that we don't have the right to pre-determine the fate of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. The representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh must take direct part in this process. They must negotiate with Azerbaijan under an international mechanism.

... secession for salvation

REPORTER: Your 2021 electoral campaign supported Nagorno-Karabakh's self-determination under the principle of "secession for salvation".

PASHINYAN: Our current policies toward the protection of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians do not contradict the idea of secession for salvation. All these years, the term "self-determination" used during the negotiation process meant a "status within Azerbaijan". Today, if Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh can prove and convince the international community that Azerbaijan is carrying out a policy of ethnic cleansing/genocide, then the principle of secession for salvation can activate. Is that clear now?

... armament

REPORTER: French Senate leader has urged the French government to "expedite" the process of supplying weapons to Armenia. Does that mean there is already an agreement to acquire French weapons?

PASHINYAN: Work is underway to diversify Armenia's security needs. I cannot disclose anything more. MOD Papikyan recently visited France. I consider his meetings successful and I hope it will bring some results.

Full https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d2anEnyEoU

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Link to original report and comments: https://www.reddit.com/r/armenia/comments/159ts5a/press_conference_by_pashinyan_negotiation_process/