Union of Armenians in Russia's Statement on Ratification of the Rome Statute

On March 25, a consultation was held at the Union of Armenians in Russia, where the ratification of the Rome Statute by Armenia was discussed. Ara Abrahamyan, the president of the Union of Armenians in Russia, announced this on his Facebook page. In his post, he particularly stated: "Despite the fact that the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia has not yet discussed this issue (the decision will come into effect only after being ratified by parliament), this step was perceived extremely negatively by the Armenian society, both in Armenia and in Russia.

The participants' stance at the meeting of the Union of Armenians in Russia is as follows: This decision is primarily directed against the interests of Armenian statehood, affecting the security of the populations of Armenia and Artsakh, which today, despite everything, is guaranteed and ensured by Russia.

The Union of Armenians in Russia expects that when voting, the National Assembly of Armenia will prioritize the interests of the citizens of Armenia, as well as those of the approximately three million Armenian community in Russia, from which the population of Armenia has received substantial economic assistance for decades.

Taking into account the public resonance, we believe that both the citizens of Armenia and the diaspora Armenians will be interested in knowing the positions of the Prime Minister and President of Armenia. They could publicly address this issue, as it has a political nature and does not reflect the supposed manifestations of democracy and independence of Armenia's judicial system, as some anti-Armenian figures try to present.

Regarding the authorities' statement that such a decision creates conditions for possible appeals against Aliyev's regime's war crimes to the ICC, it should be recalled that Azerbaijan, like all other countries in the region—Iran, Georgia, Turkey—is not a member of the Rome Statute of the ICC and fully ignores decisions such as the one ruled by the International Court of Justice a month ago, which obligated Baku to open the Lachin corridor.

The Union of Armenians in Russia calls on the authorities of Armenia to exhibit a comprehensive balanced approach and independence and to reconsider the ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

It is worth noting that a source from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaking anonymously, told RIA Novosti that Armenia's intention to join the Rome Statute of the ICC is unacceptable for Russia. "Moscow absolutely considers the plans of official Yerevan to join the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court unacceptable against the backdrop of the ICC's recent illegal and legally void 'orders' against the Russian leadership," said the source.

It is reported that "Armenian partners have been warned about the extremely negative repercussions on their bilateral relations with Moscow regarding their possible actions."

Recently, the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued international arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children’s Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova. The ICC clarifies that Putin and Lvova-Belova are suspected of the illegal deportation of Ukrainian children.