What Happens If Thousands of Armenians Decide to Return to Artsakh? Deputy Foreign Minister Responds

The recognition of each other's territorial integrity by Armenia and Azerbaijan should not in any way undermine the process of ensuring the safety and rights of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, which has been disrupted by Azerbaijan’s use of aggression. This was stated by Vahan Kostanyan, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, during a press briefing with journalists.

He emphasized that the acts of aggression should not and cannot be justified by any party.

Responding to the question of what would happen if several thousand Armenians decide to return to Artsakh, and whether this would be beneficial for the Armenian side or provide grounds for foreign powers, such as Russia, to maintain peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh, Kostanyan stated: “It is evident that clear guarantees of safety and rights are necessary for the return of Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh, because the question arises: why did people leave their homes, their homeland? They fled as a result of aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan, and, in fact, ethnic cleansing occurred in Nagorno-Karabakh.”

He stressed that ensuring the right of return for Armenians should not only be the responsibility of the Government of the Republic of Armenia but must also be included in the obligations of the international community, particularly the United Nations Security Council.