Urgent Actions Needed for the De-Occupation of Artsakh Republic Regions, Says Tovmasyan

The Chair of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Human Rights and Public Affairs, and member of the "Honorary Duty" faction, Taguhi Tovmasyan, writes on her social media page:

“Dear compatriots, it has been a year since the military aggression of the Republic of Azerbaijan against the Artsakh Republic, but our wounds are far from healing. It is difficult to find the right words to express our gratitude to our heroes who fell for the sake of our homeland and to their parents who instilled in them such love for their country, for they achieved the impossible, sacrificing their lives for Artsakh, for Armenia, for all of us.

Of course, we can endlessly be proud of our compatriots who are willing to defend our homeland at any cost, but I believe that one year on, we should simply be silent, pay a quiet tribute to our brave fallen soldiers, and finally continue the sacred mission that our dedicated individuals carried out with honor.

It has been a whole year, but unfortunately, we are not even trying to be worthy of our heroic children. I am confident that our struggle was not for a false peace with the enemy, nor for surrendering our homeland without a fight. And no matter how painful it is, we are not waking up to the greatest threats that have emerged after the loss of a significant part of Artsakh.

Artsakh was a guarantor of Armenia's security. Losing its territories has already posed serious challenges in ensuring the safety of our compatriots living in the Republic of Armenia.

We should not continue the destructive politics that hit our unity by dividing us into blacks and whites. We need to form a national idea around which we can all unite, regardless of everything.

Urgent actions must be taken towards the de-occupation of the regions of the Artsakh Republic. Let us remember: the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, is not a solution to the Artsakh problem, but rather a declaration of ceasefire. We should make the most of this period to enhance the security level of our homeland.

Peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship should remain our foreign policy priority, based on the right to self-determination of the people of Artsakh without any limitations.

The status of Artsakh should be on our agenda, and we must clearly emphasize that the occupation of the territories of the Artsakh Republic cannot have any influence on the future negotiations for peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict regarding the final status and borders of the Artsakh Republic.

There is much to be done, and the issues are urgent. The homeland is wounded, and the future is uncertain. It is time to act!”