The events of the previous year have created new reality in our region and outside it. The grave consequences of the 44-day war of September 2020 unleashed by Azerbaijan and Turkey against Nagorno-Karabakh [(Artsakh)] have become irreversible for us. Hakob Arshakyan, deputy speaker and currently acting speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia, stated this Thursday at the second meeting of Armenia-EU Parliamentary Partnership Committee. He continued as follows, in particular:

“Today, we face security challenges. The peace of the region is endangered and the stability is fragile. The penetration of the Azerbaijani armed forces to the sovereign territory of Armenia is a more dangerous development. The situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border is tense from May 12, 2021. The encroachments against the Republic of Armenia resulted in human losses and seriously endangered the regional security.

Armenia strictly condemns the military actions by Azerbaijan, which damages the regional peace and security.

We expect from our international colleagues urgent and addressed response to the illegal actions of Azerbaijan, including the penetration to the sovereign territory of Armenia and the provoking further escalations on the borders by Azerbaijan. To our deepest conviction, the use of force cannot promote the establishment of the events for strengthening trust, as well as the atmosphere of peace.

In this respect I would like to express my gratitude to the members of the European Parliament for showing position of principle after 44-day war. I would like to especially touch upon the resolution adopted by the overwhelming majority of the votes in the European Parliament on the return of Armenian prisoners of war, and with this the European Parliament demands the urgent and unreserved release of all arrested Armenians captives, the military and the civilians during the conflict and after it.

We are convinced that the resuming of the peaceful settlement process of the Karabakh problem under the auspice of the OSCE Minks Group Co-Chairmanship, the full implementation of the trilateral statements of November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021, the elimination of the consequences of their violations, including the preservation of the unreserved ceasefire regime, the withdrawal of the Azerbaijani armed forces from the RA sovereign territory, the urgent return of prisoners of war and the civilian hostages can create conditions for strengthening peace and security.

Armenia greatly highlights having normal relations with the neighbouring states. We are for and trying to establish relations with open borders in the region and anchored on the partnership.”