Artsakh Commits to Peaceful Resolution through Negotiations: Artsakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Artsakh continues to remain committed to the peaceful resolution of the conflict through negotiations. In response to a question posed by Armenpress regarding the Artsakh authorities' stance on the recent proposals from international mediators for direct dialogue with Azerbaijan, the Artsakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated:

“It should be based not on the legitimization of the balance of military forces or the results of the use of force, but on the norms and principles of international law, including equality and the right of peoples to self-determination. The best option for defending these principles is the involvement of the international community in the discussions with Azerbaijan. We have repeatedly drawn the international community's attention to the fact that negotiations must take place in an internationally recognized format that ensures the conditions and guarantees for the parties to fulfill their obligations reliably. In this regard, it is necessary first to focus efforts on the full implementation of previously reached agreements. This will be the main indicator of the parties' good faith in the peace process. After that, favorable conditions can be created to discuss all issues, including those related to ensuring the security of the people of Artsakh, the unreserved realization of rights, and the respect for free expression.”

The Ministry emphasized that since the signing of the trilateral statement on November 9, 2020, several meetings have taken place between representatives of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, during which only humanitarian, infrastructure, and other urgent issues pertaining to the population's livelihoods were discussed. The most recent such meeting took place on March 1, 2023, during which humanitarian issues were discussed in the context of the urgent need for Azerbaijan to unblock the Lachin corridor.

“It is evident that discussions aimed at resolving urgent issues between the parties cannot replace full-fledged peace negotiations necessary for the stable and comprehensive resolution of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict,” the Artsakh Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized.

The country's foreign department also draws the international community's attention to the fact that on one hand, Azerbaijan declares its readiness for dialogue with Artsakh, while on the other hand, it has been keeping its people under blockade for nearly three months, organizing terrorist attacks against them, and making maximalist demands, attempting to exert pressure and achieve its goals through the language of force or the threat of force.