The United States on Thursday urged the Armenia army not to intervene in domestic politics after its military tried to stage a coup by calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Washington is closely monitoring the situation and urged all parties to exercise restraint to avoid any violent actions.
"We remind all parties of the bedrock democratic principle that the state's armed forces should not intervene in domestic politics," Price told reporters while adding that the U.S. has been a steadfast supporter of the development of democratic processes and institutions in Armenia.
"We continue to support Armenia's democracy, and its sovereignty, and we urge its leaders to resolve their differences peacefully, while respecting the rule of law, Armenians' democracy, and its institutions," he said.
The Armenian armed forces chief Onik Gasparyan, along with other senior commanders, released a statement Thursday that called for Pashinyan to step down.
Pashinyan blasted the demand as a coup attempt and urged his supporters to take to the streets to resist.
Turkey also strongly condemned the attempted coup in Armenia.
"We condemn all military coups or coup attempts, no matter where they take place across the world," Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said at a news conference in Hungary.
