Arayik Harutyunyan: The People of Artsakh Will Not Kneel and Will Overcome the Current Obstacles

STEPANAKERT — Nagorno-Karabakh’s president Arayik Harutyunyan has praised Russian peacekeepers in a statement posted on his Facebook page.

“We express our gratitude to the Russian peacekeepers for remaining true to their mission,” Harutyunyan said. “For days, the peacekeepers have been standing by the people of Artsakh with a firm and unwavering attitude, without succumbing to [Azerbaijan’s] provocations, demonstrative insults and contemptuous attitudes.”

“We highly appreciate the conscious steps taken by the peacekeepers to alleviate the humanitarian problems of our people,” added Harutyunyan. “We will continue our struggle and will never be a tool to put pressure on the Russian Federation or damage its reputation because we are confident that the Russian Federation has the irrevocable will to solve problems diplomatically and through dialogue.”

“It has been five days already, since Azerbaijan is keeping the 120,000 population of Artsakh in total blockade with an “emotional” and attention-grabbing agenda, flavoured with fake environmental pretexts, thus putting the Armenians of Artsakh in front of a humanitarian disaster. However, as we can see, the people of Artsakh do not kneel and will honourably overcome the current processes, which are incompatible with the 21st century and almost unimaginable for civilized people, as well as the difficulties, sufferings, and humanitarian consequences arising from them.” Harutyunyan emphasized.

“The people of Artsakh are open to the discussion of any question and problem, to free dialogue, are willing to build and anticipate constructive relations formed on the basis of mutual respect of rights.

“We consider the use of coercion, demonstration and use of force as unacceptable and we call for the final rejection of the idea of depopulating Artsakh, which was the reason for the initiation of the Artsakh Liberation Struggle and is an integral part of the Azerbaijani state policy. In that case only the will to achieve peace be appreciated, and peace be sincere, real, and tangible.

“The people of Artsakh have adopted a decision to resist the encroachment against their rights and to bear the physical deprivation inflicted on us with dignity, thereby neutralizing all possible attempts to impose concessions and conditions constraining the decision-making on Mother Armenia.”, read the statement.