Artsakh Union: No settlement document can be viable if one side gets everything and the other side gets nothing

ArmInfo. The Artsakh Union has expressed concern about the absence of discussions on the rights of the Artsakh people on the agenda of the trilateral meeting involving the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and the United States, scheduled to take place today in Washington.

As reported by the press service of the Union, reaching certain agreements at today's meeting cannot be done by ignoring other fundamental issues and the rights of the main victims of the conflict. "According to the available information, today's meeting will not address such issues as the safe, collective return of the people of Artsakh, protection of their cultural heritage and property, and the release of all Armenian prisoners of war and other important topics. Meanwhile, at least the solution to the issue of the return of prisoners of war could be regarded as a humanitarian step necessary to achieve peace," the statement says.  The Union also expressed concern over reports of the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group, which was created to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"Moreover, it is very puzzling that the Armenian authorities, who have repeatedly stated their intention to dissolve the OSCE Minsk Group along with the signing of the "peace treaty", are now making such a strategic mistake. Peace based on mass violations and disregard for the rights of 150,000 Armenians of Artsakh and their forced displacement cannot be fair and lasting. There is a simple truth: no settlement document can be viable if one side gets everything and the other side gets nothing," the Artsakh Union noted. In light of the above, the Union demanded that the Armenian authorities fulfill their obligations to the people of Artsakh and ensure the protection and restoration of their rights within the framework of the conflict settlement process.

"We urge the US authorities and personally President Donald Trump to ensure return of the people of Artsakh to their homeland, safeguard their cultural heritage, promptly release Armenian prisoners of war, return the occupied territories of Armenia and address the issue of  Armenophobia in Azerbaijan. Without an effective solution to this and some other components, a stable and lasting peace in the South Caucasus is impossible," the Union concluded.