To Date, Azerbaijan Grossly Violates the Reached Agreements: Ararat Mirzoyan

The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, Ararat Mirzoyan, delivered a speech at the meeting of parliamentary leaders on "The Role of Parliamentarians in Strengthening International Peace and Trust." Below is the speech:

“Dear Ms. Mamedova, esteemed colleagues, participants of the meeting,

On behalf of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, I welcome all participants of the meeting and express my gratitude for the invitation to participate in this event.

At the beginning of my speech, I would like to emphasize the importance of the first session of the People's Council (Khalk Gengesh) of the Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan that took place on April 14 of this year. This significant event marked the conclusion of the constitutional reform process initiated back in 2019, and on this occasion, I would like to congratulate all of you and wish for new achievements, peace, and prosperity.

Dear colleagues, as we all know, at the initiative of Turkmenistan, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution declaring the year 2021 as the International Year of Peace and Trust, co-authored by 73 countries, including the Republic of Armenia. This event undoubtedly reflects the support of the global community for Turkmenistan's peaceful and neutral foreign policy, carried out for the sake of ensuring universal peace, security, and sustainable development.

Last year, Turkmenistan celebrated the 25th anniversary of the recognition of its permanent neutrality by the UN, which serves as the basis for the country’s internal and external policies. By declaring its neutrality, Turkmenistan entered a new phase of its history aimed at developing interstate relations with all countries based on principles of friendship, equality, and mutual respect for interests. Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality is an effective tool for establishing international peaceful cooperation, contributing to stability and security.

In a rapidly changing world, international cooperation built on trust is the most important and effective means of solving the challenges facing the global community.

Parliamentarians, as elected representatives of their peoples, have crucial functions to promote processes of strengthening international peace and trust, which, of course, are based on ensuring inclusive and constructive dialogue. Legislators can play a crucial role in organizing such dialogue aimed at creating a safe, reliable, stable, and peaceful community.

The activation of inter-parliamentary dialogue can serve as a strong foundation for building trust, contributing to the gradual increase of political, economic, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation potential between countries.

At the same time, colleagues, last year we all witnessed actions and policies that contradict the peaceful aspirations of our nations. Despite the appeal of the UN Secretary-General and the global humanitarian crisis, Azerbaijan unleashed a large-scale military aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh in late September 2020, with total and open support from Turkey and the involvement of mercenaries from various terrorist organizations in the Middle East.

Throughout the war, the armed forces of Azerbaijan intentionally fired upon civilian populations and critical infrastructure, desecrating and destroying the Armenian historical, cultural, and religious heritage located in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, including temples, churches, and other religious and historical monuments, such as the statues of Armenian marshals and generals who fought against Nazism and fascism during the Great Patriotic War.

Chemical weapons containing elements were used against the civilian population. To this day, Azerbaijan grossly violates the reached agreements and continues to unlawfully detain hundreds of Armenian prisoners of war and civilians. There are indisputable and verified facts regarding how numerous captives have been tortured, mutilated, and even killed. These crimes have been filmed and circulated on social networks and widely endorsed within Azerbaijani society.

Recently, the opening of the so-called “garden” dedicated to the war in Nagorno-Karabakh in Baku stands as a vivid testimony to inhumanity and inter-ethnic hatred. Only the elimination of the consequences of Azerbaijani aggression and a decision on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh based on the right of peoples to self-determination can create conditions for peace and stability in the region.

Dear colleagues, once again, I would like to thank the Turkmen side for organizing this meeting, which serves as an effective platform for discussing new opportunities for further cooperation, as well as exchanging views and experiences. I hope that a constructive and fruitful discussion will serve to develop multifaceted inter-parliamentary relations in all essential directions, as well as to strengthen friendship, trust, and mutual understanding among our countries. I wish us all success and fruitful work. Thank you for your attention.