STATEMENT

of the

REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY FACTIONS

on the inadmissibility of the statements on questioning the actual status of the Republic of Artsakh

The Artsakh Republic National Assembly factions reaffirm the emphasis of the Artsakh National Assembly decision of the of April 14, 2022, where it says “no authority has the right, under the pretext of ‘peace’, to lower the negotiating bar regarding the status of Artsakh, as well as the internationally recognized right to self-determination".

The people of Artsakh made a decision on self-determination and de facto, for over three decades, carried it out unambiguously. And in accordance with the provisions of the legislation of the USSR, as well as the requirements of the universal norms of international law, has guided solely by the principles of democracy. The right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination is not subject to negotiations.

Despite the efforts of the international community, aimed at establishing a lasting peace in the region and settling the Karabakh issue through Stepanakert-Baku negotiations, recent threatening statements by the leader of Azerbaijan prove that the military-political leadership of this country, ignoring the calls and decisions of authoritative international structures, seeks to achieve its main goal by genocidal actions - to completely depopulate Artsakh.

We consider unacceptable the opinion of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia that he voiced at the session of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia on April 18. According to him, Armenia fully recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, trying to justify all this with one point of the Madrid working document, with the agreements reached during the famous meetings held in Prague and Sochi in October 2022, and also based on the Almaty declaration of December 21, 1991. Thus the fact that the Republic of Armenia accepted that document with fundamental reservations related to the status of Nagorno Karabakh has been ignored.

In fact, the official circles of the Republic of Armenia separate the issue of ensuring the security of the people of Artsakh from their right to self-determination, ignoring the latter's crucial element. This is actually consistent with the position of official Baku and contributing to the intensification of Azerbaijan's open and encroaching ambitions towards the territories of Artsakh and Armenia.

We appeal on behalf of the people of the Republic of Artsakh.

• We urge the authorities of the Republic of Armenia to not deviate from the direction of the decision of the RA Supreme Council of July 8, 1992, at the same time drawing attention to the predictable prospect that the danger hanging over the head of the Artsakh statehood is a destructive threat to the statehood of Armenia as well.
• To Armenians worldwide - to realize our nationwide potential with collective and determined efforts at all costs, supporting the relentless struggle of our people, considering the fact that the Republic of Artsakh has been under siege for about 130 days.
• To the Russian Federation - to take additional diplomatic and military-political measures during a very important peacekeeping mission for us. Regardless of the current developments of the geopolitical situation, resolutely do not allow the security of the people of Artsakh to be in danger.
• The international community should not limit itself to statements of sympathy in connection with the blockade by the Republic of Azerbaijan against more than 120,000 civilians of the de facto established Republic of Artsakh and resort to practical measures enshrined in international legal norms.
• To the leaders of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, regardless of possible differences between you, to make efforts to resume negotiations on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh problem in the format with the only international mandate.

Stepanakert

19.04.2023

“Free Motherland–UCA” faction

“United Motherland” faction

Artsakh “Justice” faction

“Armenian Revolutionary Federation” faction

“Gemocratic Party of Artsakh” faction