Azerbaijan Claims Almost All Territory of the Republic of Armenia: Ararat Mirzoyan

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia has published the speech of Ararat Mirzoyan during a joint press conference following negotiations with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The speech is presented below:

"I would like to note that our meeting today took place in an atmosphere of trust and sincerity. We discussed issues related to bilateral cooperation and, of course, security in the South Caucasus region. We acknowledged that Armenian-Russian allied relations are at a high level, and active political dialogue continues. We noted with satisfaction the close cooperation between our countries' foreign ministries, which is aimed at further deepening through the two-year consultation program between the ministries. We also addressed issues related to our cooperation within the frameworks of the CSTO, EAEU, CIS, and other regional and international organizations.

In general, we express satisfaction regarding the positive dynamics of the development of interstate cooperation connected with the anniversary of our interstate relations last year when we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation, and Mutual Assistance. Specifically, a series of events were held aimed at highlighting the importance of these historical milestones for our countries.

We are ready to continue efforts directed at the development of mutually beneficial cooperation between Armenia and Russia. Naturally, we also discussed issues of regional security, including the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, delimitation and security of borders, unblocking all transport communications in the region, as well as the implementation process of the three statements made by the leaders of Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan, and the fact that some provisions have not been fulfilled.

Dear colleagues,

My visit takes place in the context of the tense situation in the South Caucasus and, as you know, against the backdrop of Azerbaijan's illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor, which has now lasted more than three months. The blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan is a gross violation of the commitments undertaken in the trilateral statement of the leaders of Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan dated November 9, 2020. In this regard, on February 22, 2023, the International Court of Justice obliged Azerbaijan to take all necessary measures to ensure the unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles, and goods in both directions through the Lachin corridor. As it is known, the decision of the UN International Court of Justice, which mentions the provisions of the November 9, 2020 statement, has a legally binding nature.

We expect all parties involved to take effective steps towards the unconditional implementation of the obligations they have undertaken and the restoration of the movement regime through the Lachin corridor, strictly adhering to the provisions of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020.

Unfortunately, the blockade of the Lachin corridor is not the only case of violation of trilateral agreements. Azerbaijan's aggressive actions were manifested in the killing of three employees of the passport department of the Nagorno-Karabakh police by an Azerbaijani sabotage group in the Lachin corridor on March 5 of this year. It is important to note that the Russian Ministry of Defense clearly stated in its report on March 6 that this incident was carried out by Azerbaijan.

The deployment of Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh is aimed at ensuring the security of the Nagorno-Karabakh people and creating conditions for the restoration of normal livelihoods. At the same time, the series of events that have occurred over the past two years, such as the occupation of villages in Nagorno-Karabakh, the continued captivity of Armenian prisoners of war and other individuals by Azerbaijan, the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor, the killings of police officers and civilians, periodic violations of the ceasefire regime, as well as actions directed against the civilian population, are alarming.

Moreover, the international mechanism stipulated in point 7 of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, regarding the return of Armenians to the territories of Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent areas, has yet to be implemented under the supervision of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Furthermore, Azerbaijan has unilaterally initiated a resettlement program in the territories of Nagorno-Karabakh under its control, attempting to eradicate all Armenian traces from the region.

Our assessment remains unchanged: instead of discussing the rights and security guarantees of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, the military-political leadership of Azerbaijan is preparing for the ethnic cleansing and genocide of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. While not diminishing the role of our Russian partners in the establishment of a full truce in 2020, as well as the role of Russian peacekeeping forces in preventing humanitarian disasters after the blockade of the Lachin corridor, the situation highlights the need for mechanisms to ensure the rights and security guarantees of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh, along with international involvement. It is imperative to activate international mechanisms for the prevention of genocides and to deploy an international fact-finding mission to Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin corridor. We hope to cooperate with Russia on this matter.

Dear colleagues,

Alongside the actions in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan continues to occupy the sovereign territories of Armenia, which it seized as a result of aggression on May 12, November 17, 2021, and in September 2022. Furthermore, despite ongoing negotiations on the normalization of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the leadership of that country is now effectively claiming almost the entire territory of the Republic of Armenia, referring to it as Azerbaijani land.

Azerbaijan's direct threats have been reflected in the recent statements of its president, according to which "There will be no peace agreement," and Armenia cannot live peacefully in a territory of 29,000 km² unless it accepts Azerbaijan's conditions.

We believe that only through negotiations can we achieve a solution that will bring lasting peace and stability to the South Caucasus. I reaffirm our commitment to the implementation of all provisions of the trilateral statements of November 9, 2020, January 11, 2021, November 26, 2021, and October 31, 2022.

In conclusion, I would like to once again express my gratitude for the traditionally warm reception and sincere communication.

Sergey Viktorovich, we look forward to welcoming you in Yerevan at your convenience."