Artsakh's Foreign Ministry Responds to International Mediators' Proposals for Direct Dialogue with Baku

The Artsakh Foreign Ministry has responded to a query from the Armenpress news agency, presented below:

- What is the stance of the Artsakh authorities regarding the recent proposals from international mediators for conducting direct dialogue with Azerbaijan aimed at conflict resolution?

- Since the signing of the trilateral statement on November 9, 2020, several meetings have taken place between officials from Artsakh and Azerbaijan, during which discussions have exclusively focused on urgent issues related to humanitarian, infrastructural matters, and other aspects impacting the livelihood of the population. The latest meeting occurred on March 1, 2023, wherein humanitarian issues were discussed within the context of the urgent need for the immediate reopening of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan.

It is evident that discussions aimed at resolving urgent issues cannot replace the need for comprehensive peace negotiations necessary for the sustainable resolution of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict.

Artsakh continues to commit to the peaceful resolution of the conflict through negotiations, which should be based not on the legitimization of the balance of military forces or the results of the use of force, but rather on the norms and principles of international law, including equality and the right to self-determination of peoples.

The best way to uphold these principles is through the involvement of the international community in discussions with Azerbaijan.

We have repeatedly drawn the attention of the international community to the fact that negotiations must take place within a mutually agreed-upon internationally recognized format, ensuring conditions and guarantees for the reliable fulfillment of obligations taken by the parties. In this regard, it is essential first to focus efforts on the full realization of agreements previously reached. This will be the main indicator of the parties' conscientious approach to the peace process.

Only after that can favorable conditions be created for discussing all other issues, including ensuring the security of the Artsakh people and addressing rights issues, including unrestricted implementation of their right to free expression.

We are convinced that without resolving these crucial issues, it is impossible to achieve a comprehensive resolution of the conflict.

Furthermore, we wish to draw the international community's attention to the fact that, on one hand, Azerbaijan claims readiness for dialogue with Artsakh, while on the other hand, it has kept its people under blockade for nearly three months, organized terrorist attacks against them, and made irredentist demands, attempting to exert pressure and advance its goals through the language of force or the threat of force.