If no real living conditions are created for Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh to live in their homes and if no effective mechanisms of their protection from ethnic cleansing are created, there will be an extremely high possibility that the they will see removal from their homeland as the only way to save their lives and identity, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said in a live address.
He said that a series of events that took place in recent years have forced all of us to assess, re-evaluate the situation, and draw conclusions.
“What happened in Armenia?” What is happening and what should happen? These are the questions whose answers are strategic for the future. The latest attacks undertaken by Azerbaijan against the Republic of Armenia lead to an obvious conclusion that the external security systems in which we are involved are not effective from the point of view of the state interests and security of the Republic of Armenia. This was became clear both during the 44-day war, during the events of May and November 2021, and in September 2022, and the list can be continued.
The capture of Khtsaberd and Old Tagher villages of Nagorno-Karabakh in December 2020 and the capture of more than 60 Armenian servicemen, the events of Parukh, the numerous expressions of intimidation of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, the illegal blocking of the Lachin corridor, the Azerbaijani attack on Nagorno-Karabakh on September 19 raise serious issues also about the goals and motives of the activities of the Russian peacekeeping troops in Nagorno-Karabakh. Contrary to the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020, the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh are still facing the threat of ethnic cleansing,” he said.
According to Nikol Pashinyan, in recent days humanitarian goods delivered to Nagorno-Karabakh, but this does not change the situation. “If no real living conditions are created for Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh to live in their homes and if no effective mechanisms of their protection from ethnic cleansing are created, there will be an extremely high possibility that the they will see removal from their homeland as the only way to save their lives and identity,” he added.
“The responsibility for such a development of events will fall entirely on Azerbaijan, which has adopted the policy of ethnic cleansing, and the Russian peacekeeping force in Nagorno-Karabakh. Of course, the RA government is working with international partners on the formation of international mechanisms to ensure the rights and security of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians, but if these efforts do not yield concrete results, the government will welcome our brothers and sisters of Nagorno-Karabakh to the Republic of Armenia with all care. With this, however, the above-mentioned issues will not only not be addressed, but will also be exacerbated.
The Republic of Armenia has never abandoned its obligations to its allies and has never betrayed its allies, but the analysis of events shows that the security systems and allies on which we have relied for many years have had a goal of demonstrating our vulnerabilities and justifying impossibility that the Armenian people can have an independent state,” he added.