ARF Announcement on Artsakh Escalation

YEREVAN—The Bureau of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation on Monday issued an announcement condemning Azerbaijan’s recent increased aggression toward Armenians in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh and called for the immediate signing of a military agreement between Armenia and Artsakh. Below is the translated text of the announcement.

In recent days, the threats by Azerbaijan on the borders of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and Armenia have increased. Constant shelling, sniper attacks and other diversion tactics are claiming the lives of soldiers and civilians.

Azerbaijan is disproportionally arming itself using its vast petrodollars and due to the lack of appropriate assessment of the situation by the international community, especially the mediating sides, it is creating the threat of engaging the region in war.

Azerbaijan’s strategy has always been to run away from the tri-partite negotiations with the participation of Artsakh, Armenia and Azerbaijan and through threats of war to force unilateral concessions from Armenia and Artsakh. Thus, Azerbaijan has become the side that is sabotaging the negotiations so that 20 years after the cease fire agreement the conflict can remain unresolved.

To end the current dangerous situation, we call on:

Azerbaijan to refrain from irresponsible, uncalculated operations, the result of which will have severe consequences on its own citizens;

The [OSCE Minsk Group] Co-chairmen to refrain from generalizations, which provide the actual culprit to escape from responsibility and allow it to become more relentless. At the same time we demand concrete steps to resume the negotiations with the complete participation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and to sign non-aggression agreement.

An end to sale of weapons of mass destruction and all military equipment to Azerbaijan, which is prone to military actions. The sale of weapons contradicts effort to establish lasting peace in the region.

The ARF is convinced that the signing of military-political treaty between Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is an imperative. Such an agreement will create a legal basis for the two Armenian states that will stem from basic international rights and the need to guarantee safety and will allow a more productive and concerted strategy by both sides.

The main guarantee to stave off war and to make Azerbaijan understand has been and will continue to be the coordinated development and strengthening of the two Armenian states, the unification of the entire Armenian nation, and the unwavering spirit and resolve of the Armenian armed forces.