Monday, July 24 2023 13:28

ArmInfo. Armenia's third- president Serzh Sargsyan addressed an open letter to the presidents  of Russia, the United States and France: 

"The letter reads: 

  "H.E. Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation

"H.E. Joseph R. Biden Jr, President of the United States of America

"H.E. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic "Your  Excellencies:  "A few days ago three-year-old Leo and six-year-old  Ghita died of suffocation in one of the villages of Mardakert region,  Republic of Artsakh. They went out of home in search of their mother,  who had earlier left for the city on foot in search for food.

  "The siege of Artsakh has been ongoing for seven months. Now it  started claiming lives - of both the elderly and children, of common  people, whose only guilt is being born on the land of their ancestors  and the love for life. We appreciate all those influential states and  international organisations who have so far spoken out without  ambiguities of the present situation. Such statements are crucial for  the people of Artsakh who are fighting for life. However,  unfortunately, such statements alone did not save the lives of little  Leo and Ghita. It's most appalling that words alone may fail to save  the lives of many more children and the elderly - not in the virtual  future, but literally next morning. 

  "Today the physical survival of 120.000 Armenians in Artsakh is very  literally endangered. With each of you we have had many opportunities  in the past to talk about what happened to Armenians in 1915, as well  as the very consequences of the Armenian Genocide. Now, 108 years  later, we are facing the immediate danger of the repetition of the  same gruesome events, albeit carried out in modern methods. 

  "Your Excellencies, Presidents: 

  "I appeal to you first and foremost as Presidents of the OSCE Minsk  Group co-chairing countries, as leaders who have first-hand knowledge  of where the Nagorno Karabakh peace process has taken us by 2018.  It's in that year that our society has made an emotional choice and  transferred reins of power to a politician who had no idea of what  statehood was. I fully realize that many considered that as  opportunity to try and resolve the issue of Artsakh by leveraging on  that individual's unreasonable steps that had nothing to do with the  real interests of our country. Yet, as a matter of fact, the conflict  has not been resolved, while the associated problems have deepened,  whereas that very individual no more has the vote of confidence of  our people to recognise Artsakh as part of another state. Neither he  has any vote of confidence on behalf of the people of Artsakh to  singlehandedly decide their destiny. 

  "I am appealing to you as leaders of countries where you have  unquestionable institutional memory pertaining to the issue of  Artsakh. Today, in contrast to the incumbent Armenian authorities,  there are serious professionals and experts about the Nagorno  Karabakh peace process in various institutions of your respective  countries, who have knowledge about all nuances and are well aware of  all prior phases of conflict resolution.  "I am appealing to you as  your former counterpart, as someone whose objectives and principles  are well known to you. I resorted to this genre given my lack of  direct access to you. We exchange no official visits or one-on-one  formats, channels of communications through political party formats  are either weak or missing, since the relevant opposition party  officials have been either persecuted or simply jailed in our  country.  "I am appealing to tell you what has been happening in  Artsakh is a direct route to a terrible catastrophe.  "I am appealing  to ask you to give a chance to life to the people in Artsakh. It's a  great personal tragedy for me that years ago we used to negotiate  settlements by which the people of Artsakh would live in their own  country in dignity, yet now we are talking about merely giving them a  chance to life, asking for their right to live.  "We have taken note  with sense of appreciation all your efforts aimed at resolving this  issue. Yet what is happening these days will not lead to any such  settlement that you may quite diligently have envisioned.  Direct  negotiations between an experienced dictator and someone silly and  incapable will simply not reach any reasonable point. Every satisfied  demand by the dictating party will lead to new ones, much more  difficult to satisfy. This will continue forever and will bring  large-scale catastrophes. Keeping silence or failing to devote more  time to the issue of Artsakh now means that very soon your countries  will be forced to take time to address the "the question of Armenia".  This is a very real scenario given the incompetent negotiator we  have, moreover having a sizeable portion of the sovereign territories  of the Republic of Armenia under occupation for some time.  "I am  hereby asking you - before anything else - stop the humanitarian  catastrophe in Artsakh. I believe you can do that. Force the dictator  to open the "road of life". The fascist, who has made annihilating  Armenians his lifestyle, cannot be allowed to continuously disregard  clear messages by most serious international organisations and  states. Stop the calamity. Please, secure the most basic life  conditions for the people of Artsakh. I am asking you to ensure  guarantees for this, and only then transition to efforts of finding  diplomatic solutions. Or else it may be late tomorrow. 

  "Respectfully,

  "Serzh Sargsyan

  "Third President of the Republic of Armenia (2008-2018)"