15 French Mayors Recognize the Republic of Artsakh and Call for Recognition by Other Countries

WRed

17.11.2020 16:39

15 mayors from France have issued a statement recognizing the Republic of Artsakh and calling on the French government and the international community to do the same. Below is the unofficial translation of the statement and call.

"On September 27, 2020, Azerbaijan reignited the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which had been frozen since the 1994 unstable ceasefire, launching a large-scale and unprecedented attack against the self-determined republic. The Azerbaijani army, which included mercenaries who had served in jihadist groups in Syria, created a humanitarian crisis in Artsakh, accompanied by serious violations of international conventions on armed conflict. Both the capital Stepanakert and border communities were bombed. Many civilians were killed, and thousands of Artsakh residents were displaced due to these bombings.

On midnight November 10, following 44 days of bloody battles, a ceasefire agreement was signed under the auspices of Russian authorities, solidifying the positions of the warring parties. Although the final provisions of this agreement are far from satisfactory, they help at least to save lives on both sides. However, territorial losses could lead to extremely dire situations regarding the preservation of the millennia-old heritage of Artsakh, including its hundreds of monasteries and churches from the 4th, 8th, or 10th centuries. In this regard, the fall of Shushi, Artsakh’s second city, poses a risk of depriving the people of Artsakh of their historical memory, considering all the unprecedented devastations that have occurred in the city, including against the recently restored Ghazanchetsots Church.

From now on, it is our duty to no longer hide behind cautious neutrality, which means giving tacit approval to Azerbaijani aggression. We must reaffirm our full support for our friend nation by advocating for the return of the Armenian population to their ancestral lands.

Since declaring its independence on September 2, 1991, which was solidified by a broadly supportive self-determination referendum on December 10, 1991, the Republic of Artsakh has permanently guaranteed institutional stability for its people with unquestioned democratic foundations, territorial integrity, and protection, as well as economic and cultural flourishing. Completing all components of statehood as recognized by international public law—territory, population, and sovereignty— the Republic of Artsakh must henceforth be considered a legal subject endowed with sovereignty that legally embodies the people of Artsakh.

The people united within the territory of the Artsakh state are fundamentally connected to their ancestors' land, common language, unified history, inherited culture, and practiced religion. Considering these decisive elements, the independence of Artsakh appears to us stronger, legally, than ever, legitimate, and just.

France, as a great power pursuing a balanced political policy, has millennia-old friendly ties with Armenia and has held historical and universal responsibility for the genocide that the Armenian people suffered in 1915 for over 100 years. This friendship is manifested in the relationships that have existed between our cities and regions and the communities of Armenia or Artsakh for many years.

Therefore, we, the mayors and local elected representatives who sign this call, recognize the independence of the Republic of Artsakh in the name of the right of peoples to self-determination, as a guarantee of the security of its residents, and as the only effective means to prevent the ethnic cleansing still threatening Artsakh. Today, we call on the international community to take necessary measures in this direction.

In light of all this, we first urge the French government to come out of its benevolent neutrality by recognizing Artsakh and to support a peaceful process aimed at establishing a just and sustainable situation in the South Caucasus that will respect the rights of all peoples in the region, representing a logical and effective step toward a lasting resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” the statement of the 15 French mayors reads.

The statement was first signed by: