Armenia Endorses Summit for Democracy Declaration With Reservation

YEREVAN – Armenia has signed on Summit for Democracy Declaration  with reservations over a paragraph condemning Russia’s war in Ukraine. According to the U.S. State Department, India and Mexico also refused to back that paragraph.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan refrained from the opening paragraph in the declaration that deplores the “dire human rights and humanitarian consequences of the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine” and demands that Moscow “immediately, completely, and unconditionally” withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory.

Armenia expressed reservation regarding preambular Paragraph 3 of the Declaration “because this paragraph does not comprehensively reflect all conflicts and crises and does not address the fact of the Azerbaijani aggression against, and occupation of parts of the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia.”

Yerevan endorsed the rest of the extensive summit declaration which describes democracy as “humanity’s most enduring means to advance peace, prosperity, equality, sustainable development, and security.”

The Preambular Paragraph 3 of the Declaration says: “We reiterate our firm resolve to support countries and people around the world that adhere to the values of freedom and democracy, against direct or indirect attempts or threats to undermine them.  We recognize the fundamental principles of the UN Charter that all states shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state and shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means.  We recognize the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense of States consistent with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations. We underscore the need to reach, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the principles of the UN Charter. We deplore the dire human rights and humanitarian consequences of the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, including the continuous attacks against critical infrastructure across Ukraine with devastating consequences for civilians, and express our grave concern at the high number of civilian casualties, including women and children, the number of internally displaced persons and refugees in need of humanitarian assistance, and violations and abuses committed against children. We are deeply concerned by the adverse impact of the war on global food security, energy, nuclear security and safety and the environment. We demand that Russia immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and call for a cessation of hostilities.  We also call for the parties to the armed conflict to adhere to their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law.  We call also for the complete exchange of prisoners of war, the release of all unlawfully detained persons and the return of all internees and of civilians forcibly transferred and deported, including children. We strongly support accountability for the most serious crimes under international law committed on the territory of Ukraine through appropriate, fair and independent investigations and prosecutions at the national or international level, and to ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes.”