Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America Aram Hamparian issued a statement regarding the statement made by the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers after their meeting in Paris.

“The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan just “agreed upon the necessity of taking concrete measures to prepare the populations for peace.”

Everyone wants peace. Easy enough.

But the devil is in the details.

And the details are worth studying - NOW - before we're looking back with bitter regret on the good intentions and polite diplomacy that slow walked us to the loss of Artsakh.

The deal on the table is known as the “Madrid Principles.” They call for upfront, strategic, territorial, and irrevocable concessions by Artsakh in return for deferred, vague, and reversible promises from Azerbaijan. Basically, LAND FOR PAPER.

Supporting this deal in the name of “peace” would require that Armenians not only suspend our reason but our very instinct for self-preservation:

-- Believing that Artsakh surrendering vast areas of its territory will somehow make Artsakh more secure or Azerbaijan less aggressive.

-- Believing that upfront land concessions by Artsakh will be followed by Azerbaijan forfeiting its claim of sovereignty over Artsakh.

-- Believing that Azerbaijan’s restoring Artsakh’s (Soviet-era style) “autonomy” will lead to peaceful and sustainable coexistence.

-- Believing that international peacekeepers deployed around Artsakh will actually risk their lives to block renewed Azerbaijani attacks.

-- Believing that it’s fair to front-load Artsakh’s strategic concessions while deferring Azerbaijan honoring its vague (and reversible) promises.

-- Believing that Artsakh should be the subject to the terms of an international agreement that was reached without its full participation,” he said.