They Have the Right to Live in Their Homeland: Pashinyan's Message on the 31st Anniversary of the Declaration of the Republic of Artsakh

Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan has delivered a congratulatory message on the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the declaration of the Republic of Artsakh. 

“Dear people,
Dear compatriots,
31 years ago on this day, the joint session of deputies of all levels of the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region and the Shushi district made a decision to adopt the declaration of independence of Nagorno-Karabakh, exercising their right to self-determination. This decision of our compatriots was a response to an existential threat, evidenced by the massacres in Sumgayit, Baku, and Kirovabad. This decision was made as a guarantee of the safety and rights protection of the people of Artsakh.

Following the declaration of independence came the referendum held on December 10, 1991, the First Artsakh War, the Four-Day War, and the 44-Day War. The fact that our compatriots continue to live in Nagorno-Karabakh or part of it remains the same. They have the right to live in their homeland, in a safe environment where their rights will be protected. Essentially, this is the essence of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

All declarations stating that Nagorno-Karabakh does not exist as a territorial entity and that the Nagorno-Karabakh issue has been resolved are unfounded, as long as the issues concerning the safety and rights protection of the people of Artsakh remain unaddressed, as well as the question of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, for which the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group have an internationally recognized and unrevoked mandate.

The international community must make efforts to address the humanitarian issues arising from the consequences of the 44-Day War and must not allow the implementation of a policy of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Republic of Armenia will continue to provide support for ensuring the normal functioning of life in Nagorno-Karabakh and addressing security and human rights issues.

Today we express our words of appreciation to the person representing Nagorno-Karabakh, and our goal is to ensure his inalienable right to live and create peacefully through peaceful and civilized means, through negotiations.

Today we humbly remember our brothers and sisters who were martyred for the protection of the rights of our compatriots in Nagorno-Karabakh, and it is our duty before them to ensure a peaceful Nagorno-Karabakh, a peaceful Armenia, and a peaceful South Caucasus.”