The ongoing attacks by Azerbaijani forces on civilian targets in Artsakh, especially the incessant shelling of villages in the Askeran region, were condemned by Artsakh’s president, foreign minister and parliament, in separate efforts to draw attention to Baku’s aggressive policy and ceasefire violations.
During a meeting on Thursday of Artsakh National Security Council, President Arayik Harutyunyan said that Azerbaijan was taking advantage of the current military conflict in Ukraine to advance its own aggressive provocations in Artsakh.
“Azerbaijan is trying to take advantage of the situation around Ukraine and the involvement of international actors. Official Baku is resorting to obvious provocations to psychologically intimidate the peaceful population of the country and, thus, attempting to drive Armenians out of Artsakh,” Harutyunyan told the security council, reassuring those present at the meeting that all steps were being taken to prevent security and humanitarian problems.
The Artsakh Foreign Ministry, in condemning Azerbaijan’s continue attacks on Artsakh civilians, classified those actions as terrorism.
“Official Baku’s policy grossly violates international law, humanitarian norms, and in essence, is combination of Armenophobia, Nazism and terrorism,” the Artsakh foreign ministry said on Thursday.
“The recent developments, once again, demonstrate the true goals of Azerbaijan against the Armenian people, Artsakh and its future,” said the foreign ministry. “The Artsakh’s people’s determination to live in their homeland and protect it has been and will remain unbreakable.”
The Artsakh parliament unanimously adopted a statement that calls on the international community to make adequate assessment of Azerbaijan’s ongoing military actions and take steps to “curb such criminal encroachments.”
In the statement, drafted by Artsakh’s Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan, the Artakh National Assembly “strongly condemns the aggressive and terroristic acts by Azerbaijan against Artsakh.”
“Official Baku continues its anti-Armenian policy, undermining the fragile peace and stability in the region, which once again proves that Azerbaijan is not ready to establish lasting peace in the region,” said the statement.
“The current situation, once again, demonstrates that the recognition of the right of the people of Artsakh to live safely and to have an independent state is the only right, civilized decision with no alternative,”
Stepanyan said.
