Samvel Babayan's Party on Azerbaijani Attempts to Establish Control in the Lachin Corridor

The statement from the "United Homeland" party, led by former Minister of Defense of Artsakh Samvel Babayan: "Observing the latest Azerbaijani provocations under the guise of an environmental action regarding the possible mechanisms of control over the Lachin Corridor that ensures the connection between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, the 'United Homeland' party declares:

1. There is an urgent need for the international community's effective participation in delegating a mandate for a peacekeeping mission in Nagorno-Karabakh, according to the procedures established by the UN Security Council, until the need for it is resolved, specifically until a comprehensive political settlement of the conflict is achieved.
2. Any actions and interventions that do not arise from the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, which obstruct the rights and freedoms of the people of Artsakh in their historic homeland, are completely unacceptable. Equipment to monitor prohibited items should primarily be deployed along the routes of Karvachar-Mataghis and Khudaferen-Sanasar-Kashatagh-Karvachar, including in the areas of Karvachar, Kashatagh, and Akna, which have been handed over to Azerbaijani control per the trilateral statement. In those areas, the Azerbaijani side has not only concentrated a considerable number of personnel and military equipment but has also intruded into the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, including Jermuk, Vardenis, Syunik, and beyond. This is while the areas that were transferred without combat operations should be demilitarized zones, in accordance with international principles and norms, and in this case, under the responsibility of Russian peacekeepers.
3. It is imperative to clarify the geographical coordinates of the contact line in Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin Corridor. Accordingly, the deployment positions of the Russian peacekeeping contingent should be established with a 5 km wide boundary (2.5 km on either side), where not more than one checkpoint should be situated within the peacekeeping responsibility zone, for instance, along the Armenia-Nagorno-Karabakh border.
4. The approaches of Armenia, as a party that has signed the trilateral statement, concerning the interpretation of the provisions of that statement and the subjective attitude formed regarding their political expediency are concerning. The authorities of the Republic of Armenia must pursue privatizing and recording in the documents arising from the trilateral statement the substantive and technical issues mentioned above, thereby obliging the other parties to fully implement their committed obligations.
5. It is perplexing to observe the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh's criminal self-confidence against the backdrop of the continued manifestations of the use of force and threats against their own people, particularly concerning significant territorial losses such as the villages of Khndzorez and Hin Tagher in the Hadrut region (December 11-12, 2020), the village of Parukh and the nearby Karaglukh elevation (March 24, 2022), Mt. Kusanak with the nearby Saribab and Buzdukh heights (August 3, 2022), tensions along the contact line leading to casualties and injuries, incidents involving the civilian population, and others.

The 'United Homeland' party reaffirms its position that the internal political arrangement in the Republic of Artsakh does not reflect the post-war realities; the political leadership is entirely unresponsive to the essence of the challenges facing Artsakh and its surroundings, which can only be overcome through new elections. As a result, a government that acquires a mandate of trust from the people of Artsakh will receive positive legitimacy to negotiate directly with Azerbaijan; otherwise, the people may resort to appropriate measures," the statement reads.