Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan on Wednesday criticized the President of the European Council Charles Michel, saying his characterization of Artsakh residents as “ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh” is “highly unacceptable for the people and authorities of Artsakh.”

Harutyunyan was referring to a statement Michel made on Monday summing up his talks with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan. Harutyunyan said that the European leader’s statement did not reflect the aspirations of the people of Artsakh.

Harutyunyan convened a special session of Artsakh’s National Security Council in response to a statement made by the Artsakh parliamentary factions on Tuesday condemning Michel’s conclusions about the rights and freedoms of the people of Artsakh.

“The wording about ensuring the ‘rights and security of the ethnic Armenian population of Karabakh’ in the statement of President of the European Council Charles Michel is highly unacceptable for the people and authorities of Artsakh,” said Harutyunyan.

“It does not reflect the demands and aspirations of the Artsakh Armenians, based on people’s right to self-determination, which has been clearly formulated for the international community over the past thirty years,” added Harutyunyan.

The Artsakh president announced that he had a chance to meet with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and discuss his meeting with Aliyev held in Brussels on May 22. Harutyunyan said that affirmed to Pashinyan that the exclusive right of determining the fate and status of Artsakh belongs to the people and authorities of Artsakh.

Harutyunyan told the National Security Council that Pashinyan conveyed to him “that no one can, nor is going to sign any document behind the back of the people of Armenia and Artsakh.” If there is a concrete proposal for concrete solutions, Pashinyan told Harutyunyan, it will be discussed with the Artsakh authorities, and the public will be informed properly.

“The Republic of Artsakh unwaveringly pursues the path to international recognition of its independence through the full and unconditional realization of its people’s right to self-determination,” said Harutyunyan, adding that the proper manner to provide those rights and ensure the security of the people is only possible if Artsakh is a separate entity than Azerbaijan.