Monday, May 29 2023 14:00

ArmInfo.The signing of a "peace" document by Pashinyan is tantamount to giving Azerbaijan a blank check to  complete its mission to eradicate Artsakh of all Armenians, with impunity. The statement of Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) reads.

The statement notes that the leadership of Armenia, referring to its  rationale for the opportunity for the citizens of Artsakh to  “guarantee their security and rights”, indicated that it intends  to formally agree that Azerbaijan has sovereignty over the people of  Artsakh.

AGBU, along with many Armenians across the Armenian World, rejects  the validity of giving the citizens of Artsakh the opportunity to  guarantee their security and rights as part of their agreement to  Azerbaijan's sovereignty over the people of Artsakh. AGBU, along with  many Armenians across the Armenian World, rejects the validity of  this rationalization. 

"While all Armenians want stability, peace and security for Armenia  and the region, we are deeply concerned by the prospect of Armenia  signing away the fate of the Armenians of Artsakh to an enemy that  knows no bounds in reaching its dual goals to eradicate Armenians  from Artsakh and ultimately win hegemony in the region, which puts  the sovereignty of Armenia, itself, at stake. Especially concerning  is Azerbaijan stating that no country, including Armenia, will be  permitted to stand in the way of its objectives for the population of  Artsakh, signaling that blockades, humanitarian terrorism, and  cultural genocide in Artsakh will all be fair game.

"The history of this conflict over the past 30 years shows that  Azerbaijan has never been an honest negotiating partner, "states AGBU  President Berge Setrakian. "It has failed to honor any international  treaty, convention, agreement, or law where the people of Artsakh are  concerned. Ilham Aliyev's relentless anti-Armenian public rhetoric,  unprovoked military aggressions against civilian Armenian  communities, and deprivation of thousands of Armenians in Artsakh  with a ruthless economic blockade are evidence enough. We know that  signing this document is tantamount to giving Azerbaijan a blank  check to complete its mission to eradicate Artsakh of all Armenians,  with impunity."

For 30 years, the people of Artsakh have tried to exercise their  right to self-determination, as defined by the second article of the  United Nation's Charter and the principles of the OSCE Minsk Group.  Self-determination is the only acceptable course of action and the  world community must step up to finally see this process through.  As  such, AGBU calls upon all international bodies to support the right  of the people of Artsakh to self- determination, otherwise, they will  be further subjected to ethnic cleansing by an Azerbaijan that  consistently and unapologetically fails to fulfill its end of a  settlement.   

The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) is the world's largest  non-profit organization devoted to upholding Armenian heritage  through educational, cultural and humanitarian programs. Each year,  AGBU is committed to making a difference in the lives of 500,000  people across Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh and the Armenian Diaspora.  Since 1906, AGBU has remained true to one overarching goal: to create  a foundation for the prosperity of all Armenians.