Day: December 19, 2023

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that there is not an international document that states that the Karabakh conflict has been resolved, adding that the discussion of a document for the resolution of the conflict does not mean that the conflict has been resolved.

Pashinyan made the statements in response to questions posed to him during an interview with Armenian Public Television, presumably in response to separate claims by both Russian and Azerbaijani authorities who have insisted that the conflict has been resolved.

Since the 2020 War, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has claimed on numerous occasions that the Karabakh conflict has been resolved after Azerbaijan so-called victory in the war. Azerbaijan’s attack on Artsakh in September of this year and the forced mass exodus of Artsakh Armenians, Aliyev has said that the conflict has “once and for all” been resolved.

Meanwhile, Russian authorities, including President Vladimir Putin, have said that by recognizing Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity —that includes Artsakh—Pashinyan himself has rendered the Karabakh conflict resolution issue moot.

“There has never been any document on table that has stipulated a resolution to the Karabakh conflict in the event of its signing,” Pashinyan said during an interview on Armenia’s Public Television.

“All documents, beginning from the [OSCE Minks Group-proposed] ‘Madrid Principles,’ have stipulated that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has not been resolved,” added Pashinyan.

The prime minister said that there was only one document, the signing of which could have been deemed as a resolution to the conflict. He said that was the 1999 document that would have exchanged Meghri for Artsakh—“Meghri is ceded to Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh is united with Armenia.”

Pashinyan said that these documents were specifically worded such so that “the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can remain a dangling sword over Armenia, and maybe even over Azerbaijan.”

Pashinyan explained that he and his government were calling for the “lowering of the benchmark” for the Artsakh negotiations, “because we wanted our ideas about self-determination to become aligned with the international community’s notions about self-determination.”

He said that the notion of self-determination was introduced during a summit in Lisbon in 1996.

Pashinyan also addressed statement made by Putin, who publicly stated that Armenia had recognized Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan and not Moscow.

“In November and December of 2020, the president of Russia announced that Nagorno-Karabakh is part of Azerbaijani. Those announcements were public,” Pashinyan said.

“Based on my understanding, that statement contradicted the November 9, 2020 agreement,” Pashinyan added.

He recalled that after Putin’s announcement Azerbaijan invaded Armenia’s territory, prompting Yerevan to appeal to the Collective Security Treaty Organization and Russia. Pashinyan added that at the time Yerevan also emphasized that there was “zero reaction” from Russia on that and Azerbaijan’s attack on Parukh in Artsakh’s Askeran Region, where, he said, Russian peacekeepers did not react.

Pashinyan said that it is important that talks on a peace treaty with Azerbaijan are based on principles discussed and agreed to in Brussels by both sides.

However, he faulted Azerbaijan for “artificially delaying” discussions, pointing out that Baku has backed out of four scheduled meetings in the past two months.

“Our negotiation package was delayed because Azerbaijan refused to attend four consecutive scheduled meetings. Even now, however, I believe that the negotiations should continue on the specific points of the peace treaty,” Pashinyan added.

Meeting with the Council of Europe President Charles Michel on Monday, Armenia’s new ambassador to the EU, Tigran Balayan, claimed that Azerbaijan cancelled the October summits as part of its “continuous attempts to derail the peace process.” Balayan was also reportedly urged the EU to help ensure “Baku’s return to the negotiation table.”

James O’Brien, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for Europe and Eurasia, visited Baku earlier this month in a bid to convince the Azerbaijani leadership to reschedule the cancelled meeting of the foreign ministers. The conflicting sides have not yet announce any agreement to that effect.

The gathering of AYF members at the ARF Aram Manougian Youth Center in Yerevan, Armenia for distribution of the first backpacks filled with school essentials

On Sunday, December 17, through the AYF-YOARF Eastern Region’s “Sponsor a Student” initiative, 54 Juniors from five different regions of Artsakh gathered at the ARF Aram Manougian Youth Center in Yerevan, Armenia to receive their backpacks.

The “Sponsor a Student” initiative was launched in response to the crisis in our homeland. The AYF-YOARF Eastern Region decided to raise funds to provide supplies to school-aged children who were displaced from their homes in Artsakh. Since the launch, the campaign has raised nearly $18,000. With these collected funds, the AYF-YOARF purchased backpacks, filled them with school supplies and distributed them to displaced children this past Sunday. 

The New Jersey “Arsen” Junior Chapter shares a special video Christmas message with the Artsakh AYF Juniors

The backpacks include all the essentials to help alleviate the students’ transition to starting school in Armenia. This includes notebooks, pens, pencils, pencil cases, rulers, protractors, erasers, sharpeners, drawing compasses, pins and water bottles. ARF Youth members of Armenia also participated in the program to help facilitate new introductions and ensure organization of the distribution. The morning began with announcements from the Artsakh AYF Central Executive and a special video from the New Jersey “Arsen” Junior Chapter wishing the Artsakh AYF Juniors a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. This gathering was an opportunity for the youth from Artsakh to come together, and while for some it was a reunion, for others it was an opportunity to meet new friends. 

Artsakh AYF Juniors singing together

After the introductions, the Juniors were split into teams to play games, which was followed by singing songs and reciting poems. At first, only a few Juniors were willing to sing, but by the end of the second song, everyone was volunteering to sing and recite their favorite poems. The program concluded with distributing backpacks to the youth members. Everyone left feeling excited for the upcoming events and reunions that the Artsakh AYF Central Executive is planning alongside other regions. 

Throughout the event, the beautiful dialect of Artsakh echoed in the room, whether it was through the games, the whispers between reunited friends or the parents’ encouragement and guidance of their children. The Artsakh dialect was not the only way the room was filled with Artsakhtsi spirit—it was evident in every opportunity throughout the event. The team names selected by the Juniors were: “Artsakhtsiner,” “Artsakhi Oujer,” “Avo,” “Monteapert” and “Artsakh” (Արցախցիներ, Արցախի ուժեր, Աւօ, Մոնթեաբերդ, Արցախ). 

Artsakh AYF Juniors enjoy delicious traditional Artsakh food, including Jingalyov hats and gurgut

The trivia game included questions about Artsakh’s history, geography, architecture, heroes, culture and songs. The poems and even the delicious traditional Artsakh food, like Jingalyov hats and gurgut, served as reminders of Artsakh’s resilience and the undying hope of return to the homeland. 

Click to view slideshow.

A donation of $50 sponsors a backpack and supplies for one student. The Central Executive has set a Round 1 goal of $25,000 to sponsor 500 students. Upon reaching this goal, future rounds will be announced to continue providing additional support to those children who have not yet received supplies. Future donation rounds will be aimed at delivering backpacks to those Artsakhtsis living outside of Yerevan and throughout the entirety of Armenia. 

Artsakh AYF Juniors show off their new backpacks filled with essential school supplies thanks to the AYF “Sponsor a Student” program

As the youth organization of the ARF, the Central Executive finds it important and necessary to support our fellow youth of Artsakh and ensure that we maintain their access to education through these extremely difficult times in our nation’s history.

To fund successive rounds of backpack deliveries, we need your continued generosity and support. If you would like to make a donation, please visit givebutter.com/artsakhfund to support this extremely vital initiative.

Author information

AYF-YOARF

Founded in 1933, The Armenian Youth Federation is an international, non-profit, youth organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF). The AYF-YOARF Eastern United States stands on five pillars that guide its central activities and initiatives: Educational, Hai Tahd, Social, Athletic and Cultural. The AYF also promotes a fraternal attitude of respect for ideas and individuals amongst its membership. Unity and cooperation are essential traits that allow members of the organization to work together to realize the AYF’s objectives.

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