WE, THE ARMENIAN NATION, THE CITIZENS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH (NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC) – AS THE SOLE SOURCE OF ANY LEGAL STATE POWER – DECLARE THAT THE POINTS 2, 6, 7 OF THE TRIPARTITE STATEMENT SIGNED ON NOVEMBER 9, INVALID (NULL AND VOID)
AN OPEN APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND THE OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS: THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE PRESIDENT OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, THE PRESIDENT OF FRANCE
Honourable Ladies and Gentlemen,
For 44 days, Azerbaijan, with the open, active political and military support and participation by Turkey, committed aggression against the Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (the Republic of Artsakh) with the involvement of international terrorists from Syria and Libya. They bombed peaceful towns and villages and killed civilians.
The Republic of Armenia appealed to the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group –the United States, Russia and France, who have the mandate to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The Republic of Armenia also appealed to the UN and other international organizations. The whole world knew that a war was going on in Nagorno-Karabakh where civilians were being killed at the hands of international terrorists. And the conflict has already gone beyond the parameters of the Armenian-Azerbaijani confrontation in Nagorno Karabakh.
It is a fact that during these 44 days, Azerbaijan and Turkey blatantly and cynically violated the norms of international law, norms of humanitarian law, demonstrating a dismissive and cynical attitude towards the international community namely, towards the UN, the UN Security Council, the OSCE Minsk Group, and NATO. In its part, the international community did not take efficient steps against Azerbaijan and Turkey to end the bloodshed, to stop terrorist atrocities. No one had any doubts that a full-scale war had started by Azerbaijan with the open, active political and military support of Turkey, with the involvement of international terrorists from Syria and Libya. They were deployed by Turkey to Azerbaijan to participate in the war against the self-determined Armenian people of Nagorno-Karabakh, who wanted to live safely. The Armenian army alone fought against international terrorists, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. It was clear to everyone that the Armenian people of Nagorno-Karabakh faced the danger of genocide from international terrorists, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. And during these 44 days, the international community, international organizations have limited themselves only to wishes and lip service about a ceasefire and the need to resume negotiations. The same did the UN Security Council, which is responsible for maintaining international security and peace.
Moreover, on October 19, it was announced that Germany, Spain, Italy, Hungary, and Malta rejected the implementation of sanctions by the European Union against Turkey, because of its illegal actions, political and military support of Azerbaijan regarding the outbreak of the war in Nagorno-Karabakh, in connection with the aggression against the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and the Republic of Armenia, with the involvement of terrorists from Syria and Libya in this war. Essentially, these European states have entered into an agreement with violence, aggression, terrorism. Civilized and democratic Europe has done nothing against this.
With its indifference, the international community once again, as in 1915 during the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, condoned violence against Armenians, condoned the violation of international law, including the norms of humanitarian law, created by the civilized world itself. It condoned the bloodshed of Armenians by international terrorists, Azerbaijan, Turkey, which resulted in the bloodshed of thousands of Armenians who wanted to live and believed in just world order, in the civilized international community, in international law. This indifference is tantamount to declaring war on the Armenian nation.
We want to remind you of the Berlin Congress of 1878 when representatives of Germany, Great Britain, Austria-Hungary, Russia, France, Italy, and Turkey gathered in Berlin to resolve the Eastern Question, of which the Armenian Question was an integral part. The most active negotiators and stakeholders were Great Britain, Austria-Hungary and Russia, with Germany acting as a mediator and general arbitrator in the person of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, who was elected chairman of the Congress.
At the end of the Congress, the pivotal players of the international community recognized the existence of the Armenian Question in the Ottoman Empire. They demanded the Turkish Sultan to stop oppression and violence against Armenians and to implement reforms. However, they did not establish any efficient measures to influence the Turkish authorities to ensure the safety of Armenians and execution of this requirement.
But the main thing is revealed in the prophetic address of Otto von Bismarck to the Turkish delegates at the Berlin Congress, when at the end he said the following: “Now, gentlemen, you should be satisfied, we have ensured peace for you for twenty years. During this period, you will be able to carry out reforms, put the country on the path of progress, and cleanse its administration. It is the last opportunity to save Turkey. But I am convinced that you will not do any of this. “
After the Berlin Congress, twenty years later, Turkey launched a policy of the Armenian Genocide, culminating in the massacre of Armenians in 1915, when more than 1.5 million Armenians were annihilated, and the international community at that time was limited only to wishes and messages to end the violence.
It states that nothing has changed in the world over the past 100-odd years, in terms of wishes and messages, when people die.
During these 100 years, new international organizations have appeared, such as the UN, NATO, the Council of Europe, the European Union which initiate no effective measures to stop the bloodshed. Yet again they provide nothing more than lip service when people are killed, civilians are annihilated, even at the hands of international terrorists.
However, during these 100 years, the Armenian nation has changed.
The Armenian nation does not want to be a member of some kind of “civilized” international community, where there is lack of legality, genuine compassion, a sense of responsibility; where darkness and chaos reign.
Ladies and Gentlemen, if these all are your values, then the Armenian nation accepts the challenge, accepts the battle, and declares war on darkness and chaos.
The Armenian nation hereby appeals to all the people that no longer want to live in a world where there is no justice and legality, genuine compassion, real sense of community and security. The Armenian nation addresses the states that truly want to establish a just world order where rule of law and security will reign. Since the so-called “civilized world” is mired in hypocrisy does not have the moral right to talk about humanism; about the protection of human rights; about the protection of values and principles of international law. It is necessary to establish a just, new world order.
The Armenian people fought for 44 days on the frontline of international terrorism. Thousands of innocent Armenian civilians died in Nagorno-Karabakh. They died fighting against international terrorists who have now become a threat not only for Armenians but also the entire international community. Yet it is only Russia that took efficient measures to stop the bloodshed.
On November 9, a trilateral statement was signed by the Prime Minister of Armenia, the President of Azerbaijan, and the President of Russia on the introduction of Russian peacekeeping forces to end the hostilities.
WE, THE ARMENIAN NATION, THE CITIZENS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA AND THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH (NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC) – AS THE SOLE SOURCE OF ANY LEGAL STATE POWER – DECLARE THAT THE POINTS 2, 6, 7 OF THE TRIPARTITE STATEMENT SIGNED ON NOVEMBER 9, SINCE THESE CLAUSES ARE INVALID (NULL AND VOID) FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS:
Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan did not have and do not have the authority to sign any document on behalf of the Republic of Armenia, concerning the territory of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) or any territorial transfer to Azerbaijan. The Karabakh confrontation is not a territorial dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The current conflict is a confrontation between the self-determined Armenian people of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan.
REGARDING THE RUSSIAN PEACEKEEPING FORCES AND FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS, WE DECLARE THE FOLLOWING:
1. Based on the all foregoing, Russia is the only state that has the moral and legal right to have a peacekeeping mission in the confrontation region, since, as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, during the entire period of hostilities, starting from September 27, 2020, it has shown genuine compassion for the Armenian people, the very first of the co-chairmen of the Minsk Group openly declared that international terrorists were fighting against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, and subsequently took active steps to contain and stop the bloodshed, showing a balanced position. And today it not only ensures the security of the Armenian people with peacekeeping forces but also provides them with humanitarian aid.
2. The negotiations concerning the territory of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh Republic) and the surrounding security zone are already a matter of negotiation process within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs – France, Russia, and the United States.
As for France and the USA:
The Armenian nation is grateful to the leadership of France and the French people for their active moral support. As a Co-Chair of the Minsk Group, France tried in every possible way to cease the fire and at the beginning of October openly announced the involvement of international terrorists by Turkey and Azerbaijan in the war against Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Armenian nation is grateful to the leadership of the United States of America and the American people for their active moral support. As a Co-Chair of the Minsk Group, the United States of America tried in every possible way to cease the fire and at the end of October openly announced the involvement of international terrorists by Turkey and Azerbaijan in the war against Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.
We are convinced that the legitimization of the emerging situation and territorial configuration in the region of the Karabakh confrontation as a result of Azerbaijan’s use of international terrorists deployed by Turkey is not part of anyone’s plans. This situation and configuration cannot serve as a basis for further actions by France, Russia, and the United States, since otherwise; it will become quite acceptable and permissible to resolve any issue in the world with the use of international terrorists. It is not difficult to imagine where this will lead.
ARMEN ZALINYAN
Citizen of the Republic of Armenia
Lieutenant General of justice
Doctor of law
24 November 2020