Armenian President Calls on Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan Ahead of Moscow Talks

The President of the Republic of Artsakh, Araik Harutyunyan, has issued a call to the foreign ministers of the Republic of Armenia, the Russian Federation, and the Republic of Azerbaijan ahead of the upcoming meeting scheduled for July 25, 2023, in Moscow.

The text of the call reads as follows:

“I once again sound the alarm regarding the 225-day blockade of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) by Azerbaijan, including a 40-day complete siege, and the urgent need to eliminate the rapidly deepening humanitarian disaster in Artsakh as a result of this blockade.

It is utterly condemnable that, instead of working towards a political resolution to the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict and fostering an environment of mutual trust between the parties, the main instruments of Azerbaijan’s political agenda regarding Artsakh are the blockade and complete siege of the Republic of Artsakh, the continuous disruption of vital infrastructure, and the overtly genocidal policies being pursued.

I emphasize that Azerbaijan is committing crimes against humanity in Artsakh, which are direct consequences of Azerbaijan’s gross violations of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, and other widely recognized international legal documents.

After the war, the people of Artsakh believed in the guarantees established by the trilateral statement, particularly the mission of the Russian peacekeeping forces, returning to their homeland and embarking on the restoration of their lives.

Empowered by the mandate given to me by my people, I demand that the parties to the November 9, 2020, trilateral statement take practical steps to ensure the immediate restoration of the legal regime of the Lachin Corridor and guarantee the security of the people of Artsakh, at least within the obligations undertaken by the Parties in the trilateral statement.

Only after ensuring these minimum conditions for our people’s livelihood can we address all components of the conflict and discuss solutions to them in a somewhat favorable environment.

The primary responsibility for the impending tragedies resulting from the failure to address the catastrophic situation lies primarily with the parties to the trilateral statement.

Prevent the looming ethnic cleansing.”