ArmInfo. The National Assembly of Armenia at an extraordinary meeting on December 2 is discussing the draft statement of the National Assembly in response to the statement of the Azerbaijani Parliament. The meeting is held on the initiative of the "Armenia" opposition faction.
According to Andranik Tevanyan, MP from the "Armenia" faction, on November 8, the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan adopted a statement on a 44-day war in Artsakh. This document distorted the meaning of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the causes of the conflict. According to the MP, the statement of the Azerbaijani parliament gave erroneous assessments of the reasons for the 44-day war, on relations with Armenia, the conversation in the Azerbaijani parliament was in the spirit of ultimatums and blackmail, unacceptable demands were presented to the republic that have nothing to do with legal justification, militant rhetoric was also used.
The statement of the Armenian parliament notes that Azerbaijan deliberately distorts the essence of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem and historical facts. The conflict arose as a result of Azerbaijan's policy of ethnic cleansing aimed at suppressing the will and trampling on the rights of the population of Nagorno- Karabakh, which was followed by a large-scale military aggression against the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, self-determined in its historical territory. On May 12, 1994, a ceasefire agreement was signed between the Ministers of Defense of Armenia and Azerbaijan and the commander of the Defense Army of Nagorno-Karabakh, which recorded a ban on the use of force or the threat of its use, which, however, was periodically violated by Azerbaijan.
The military-political leadership of Azerbaijan is pursuing a policy of ethnic cleansing and the destruction of cultural values. In the territories occupied by Azerbaijan, 1,456 Armenian cultural and historical monuments remain, a huge cultural heritage that Azerbaijan openly destroys or appropriates - with the falsification of their ownership. Grossly violating international humanitarian law, Azerbaijan blocks the search for the remains of the missing persons in the regions of Artsakh occupied by it and in the territories of the Republic of Armenia that it seized as a result of the aggression on September 13, 2022, and also prevents the evacuation of the bodies of Armenian servicemen and civilians. With its intentions and policies, Azerbaijan is becoming a source of a new war and instability in the region, evidence of which is, among other things, the so-called "Shusha" Declaration signed on June 15, 2021 by the presidents of Turkey and Azerbaijan, which is unacceptable to us and worthy of condemnation.
Condemning the aggressive anti-Armenian policy pursued by Azerbaijan and contrary to international law, which is also reflected in the statement of the Azerbaijani Parliament dated November 8, 2022, the National Assembly of Armenia declares that Azerbaijan is obliged to unquestioningly fulfill its obligations within the framework of the settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, to stop its hatred policy towards people of Armenian ethnicity , to stop military rhetoric, to exclude the use of force and the threat of its use, as well as its policy of reaching agreements desired through blackmail and pressure. The Azerbaijani side is obliged to immediately return its armed forces to their positions until May 12, 2021. Unquestioningly fulfilling international humanitarian norms and requirements, Azerbaijan must return the Armenian prisoners of war and other detainees, the bodies of servicemen and civilians; stop its policy of ethnic cleansing, destruction and appropriation of cultural property. We are convinced that in order to settle the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and ensure global regional security, it is necessary to find a formula for peaceful coexistence, but it should not be in the conditions of the use of force or the threat of force, violate the rights of one of the parties, threaten the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia.
We are in favor of unblocking communications and cooperation between regional countries, but we exclude the implementation of this by providing a corridor through the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia. The language of blackmail and ultimatums is unacceptable for us. We consider that one of the most important tools for ensuring the rights and security of the Armenians of Artsakh is the realization of the right of peoples to self-determination without any restrictions. The Republic of Artsakh has secured its independence in accordance with all norms of the legislation of the former USSR and international law. In accordance with the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Armenia, the Constitution and laws of the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Armenia, will support the realization of the right of the Armenians of Artsakh to self-determination, ensuring their security and international recognition of Artsakh. Artsakh should not be part of Azerbaijan.
We call on the international community to evaluate the Azerbaijani aggression and condemn the occupation of the territories of Armenia and Artsakh, to call to account and impose sanctions against Azerbaijan for the war crimes committed by it, to contribute to the full application of the UN Charter by supporting the realization of the right of the people of Artsakh to self- determination. We appeal to international humanitarian organizations to take effective steps in the return of Armenian prisoners of war and other detainees," the RA National Assembly said in a statement.
Earlier today, at the meeting of the NA Committee on Foreign Relations , its head Eduard Aghajanyan mentioned that the previous three days there were discussions of the draft statement with the members of the "Armenia" faction. Consensus was reached on many points, but on some points it was not possible to reach a consensus, so the "Civil Contract" faction will abstain from voting on the text of the statement submitted by the opposition faction.