Tuesday, August 29 2023 13:45

ArmInfo. The strategic mistakes of the Armenian authorities after the 44-day Azerbaijani  aggression against Artsakh in the fall of 2020 led to the territorial losses of the RA after the signing of the trilateral ceasefire declaration, reduced the Armenian factor to zero not only in the process of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, but also in the course of three-vector meetings initiated by Moscow, Brussels and  Washington regarding relations with Azerbaijan. This is stated in the statement of the Luys Foundation.

Thus, as the Foundation's press service reports: "As a result of the  change of power in Armenia in 2018, the Karabakh conflict settlement  process underwent a turning change. The desire of the new Armenian  authorities to build a settlement process from the "zero point" led  to a change in the 30-year-old format of the settlement, which was  mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs representing Russia, the  United States and France. This led to the disruption of the  principles of negotiations in force from 2007 to 2021 and the  achievements recorded during this period (the negotiation scheme  based on the principles of international law and the negotiation  document developed on its basis). This development of events became  the reason for the Azerbaijani-Turkish aggression in 2020. 

During this aggression, which led to catastrophic human, territorial,  material, moral and psychological consequences for the Republic of  Armenia and the Republic of Artsakh, the principles and norms of  international law were grossly violated, war crimes were committed.  The practice of resolving conflicts of self-determination shows that  it is in this situation that recognition processes are accelerated.  Therefore, after the cessation of hostilities, the authorities of  Armenia and Artsakh had to deploy appropriate work in international  instances in order to document these crimes.  The necessary work  would make it possible to return the settlement process to the  framework of the Minsk Group, to immediately activate the mechanism  provided for in the negotiation document for determining the final  status of Nagorno-Karabakh, to prevent further mass crimes against  the self-determined Artsakh, as happened in East Timor, South Sudan,  etc. At the same time, it would deter the ongoing aggression of  Azerbaijan and would become the basis for real peace. Instead, by  officials from Moscow, Brussels and Washington, the Armenian  authorities were involved in the Armenian-Azerbaijani meetings, which  the parties consider "negotiations", but are not held under the  auspices of the relevant international organization, without the  participation of experienced mediators. These "negotiations", which  have superseded the format, agenda, principles and objectives  formulated by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, are carried out on the basis  of false "ideas" allegedly based on the Alma-Ata Declaration of 1991.  But in fact, this declaration has nothing to do with international  law. These "negotiations" have become platforms for political  manipulation. 

As a result, the Republic of Armenia faced serious security  challenges, and the Nagorno- Karabakh Republic faced a real threat of  genocide and the destruction of statehood. This is also facilitated  by the "it is necessary to ensure respect for the rights and security  of the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh" approach, which violates the  fundamental principles and norms of international law, provides for  the status of a national minority within Azerbaijan for the people of  the NKR, which officials from Yerevan, Moscow, Washington and  Brussels are trying to impose on Artsakh. To overcome a catastrophic  situation, it is necessary to eliminate the root cause of this  situation. In international relations, the Armenian authorities do  not represent either the interests or the position of Artsakh, and  the authorities of Artsakh have neither the determination nor the  relevant knowledge to conduct appropriate policies and protect the  interests of Artsakh. At the first stage of the conflict settlement  process (the 90s of the last century), when the Armenian authorities  also did not imagine the possibility of international recognition of  Artsakh's independence, in 1998 the problem was solved by a change of  power and a radical turn took place in the negotiation process. In  Armenia, such real changes are not visible in the foreseeable future  due to the incapacity of the opposition. The only possibility remains  the resignation of the President of Artsakh A. Harutyunyan and the  change of power in Artsakh in order for Artsakh to have the  opportunity to independently decide its fate. The new authorities of  Artsakh should become the sole representative of the country in the  settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and the Armenian  authorities should not interfere in the process, but should discuss  with Azerbaijan and international partners only the issues of the  delimitation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

A necessary condition for the return of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict  settlement process to normal is also the formation of a working group  consisting of highly qualified specialists under the new governing  body, which should ensure the development of the professional  foundations of Artsakh's foreign policy.

Negotiations with Azerbaijan are necessary, but they make sense only  if two conditions are met. These negotiations should be conducted in  a format formed by an international organization authorized to carry  out a mediation mission within the framework of international law.  The principles and norms of international law should be the basis for  discussing problems and formulating solutions to them, and  international organizations that have undertaken a mediation mission  should be the guarantor of the implementation of agreements. The  documentary basis should be a negotiation document and principles  developed by representatives of the three permanent members of the UN  Security Council, the co-chairs of the Minsk Group. The postulates of  the position of the representatives of Artsakh should be the  following:

- The final status of Artsakh should be determined by the people of  Artsakh on the basis of international law,

- Azerbaijan will not be held accountable for military aggression and  war crimes only if the territories located within the borders of the  NKAO are returned to Artsakh and the independence of the  Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is recognized,"  they concluded.