Video: The Withdrawal of the Defense Army Will Mean the Removal of Armenians from Artsakh, Says Pashinyan

The withdrawal of the Defense Army from Artsakh means the removal of Armenians from Artsakh, and this is essentially the demand that Azerbaijan formulates. This was stated by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan during a government meeting.

“This also substantiates Azerbaijan's policy of liberating Artsakh from everything Armenian, including millennia-old churches, inscriptions on cross-stones,” said Pashinyan.

He noted that the events in Parukh testify that the Armenian population of Artsakh needs protection, otherwise they will become victims of genocide.

Pashinyan also mentioned that it is acceptable for Armenia to recognize the principle of mutual territorial integrity and inviolability of borders: “Thus, the question arises—why does Azerbaijan consider this reaction to be a lack of response? The reason is that Armenia has recorded in its public and diplomatic responses that there is the issue of Artsakh and, in the context of a comprehensive settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the rights of the Armenians of Artsakh must be addressed. Azerbaijan's position is that there is no issue of Artsakh; it has been resolved,” he said.

He pointed out that Baku's position does not answer a crucial question—how, then, has the issue of the rights of the Armenian population of Artsakh been resolved. There is no answer to this question, and this is the reason why the international community continues to speak about the necessity of a comprehensive resolution of the Artsakh issue, as evidenced in various international platforms.

According to Pashinyan, Azerbaijan is trying to displace all Armenians from Artsakh, thereby considering the issue closed. “If we are mistaken, let Azerbaijan show concrete interest in discussing the rights and security guarantees of the Armenian population of Artsakh. Official Baku is moving in the opposite direction, insisting that there is no Artsakh. This is why the official circles of Azerbaijan respond quite aggressively to all instances when the international community uses the term Artsakh,” he stated.