Statement by Ashot Danielyan, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Artsakh.
“In recent days, Pashinyan’s ‘judgments’ about Artsakh and the pro-Artsakh movement, based on ignorance and lies, expressed in the European Parliament and in meetings with journalists, have not only provoked the indignation of thousands of our compatriots who have not come to terms with the occupation of Artsakh, which constitutes crimes against humanity, but also require a certain interpretation.
• Absurd statements about the pro-Artsakh movement cannot discredit this shining example of our people’s heroic struggle for freedom and peace.
• The powers of the government of any country, including Armenia, are limited by the borders of that country. Beyond these boundaries, actions (initiating criminal cases, etc.) regarding events occurring on the territory of another state (regardless of whether it is recognized or not), making “decisions” regarding the rights of that state’s population, and controlling its fate constitute a gross violation of fundamental international principles and a crime. The people of Artsakh have never authorized the current authorities of the Republic of Armenia to act on their behalf regarding their rights and interests and to make Artsakh the subject of a simple transaction.
• If what happened was peace, and not absolute and permanent capitulation, then why do Azerbaijani troops continue to remain in 240 square kilometers of the occupied territory of the Republic of Armenia? Why are the 150,000 residents of Artsakh, subjected to ethnic cleansing and genocide, not returning to their homes? Why are the Armenian hostages not returning to their homeland from Baku prisons? Why is irrefutable evidence of Artsakh’s Armenian identity—Armenian settlements, ritual structures, historical and cultural monuments, etc.—being completely destroyed?
• Distorting the essence of the Karabakh movement and the acts of ethnic cleansing and genocide committed against the people of Artsakh in recent years, and falsely presenting this as “peace” to members of the European Parliament, who for several years have been passing resolutions condemning the crimes committed by Azerbaijan and Turkey’s involvement in them, is contempt for this institution.
• Transformation of the process. The transformation of the right to self-determination, which for decades has been implemented in full compliance with international law and with the unconditional support of the UN Security Council and all authoritative international organizations, into a “territorial dispute.” The Armenian authorities’ continuous reproduction of Azerbaijani propaganda rhetoric constitutes a gross violation of international law. The radical change in the attitude of international bodies in recent years is due not only to geopolitical events but also to the Armenian authorities’ attitude toward Artsakh and the Artsakh movement.
• We are not surprised that those who do not understand the concept of the Fatherland, those who deny and denounce the 1,700-year-old Armenian Apostolic Holy Church and national faith, those who have gained power through intrigue and subterfuge and identify themselves with the state, discredit everything sacred, including other institutions and processes that shape the identity of our people, including the Artsakh movement.
The inalienable right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination, to return to their homeland, to live in security, and to control their own destiny cannot be destroyed by lies, deception, manipulation, or be subject to petty deals.
As a representative of the elected authority of the people of Artsakh, I assure you that we will continue to fight by all legal means and instruments to restore and realize the violated rights of the people of Artsakh, with the continued and powerful support of forces and individuals who care about the cause of Artsakh and the people of Artsakh.