X
    Categories: 2021

NATO urges democracy in Armenia

Middle East Monitor
Feb 25 2021
– Middle East Monitor

NATO encouraged democracy in Armenia on Thursday amid growing tension between the military and prime minister, Anadolu Agency reports.

"We are closely monitoring developments in our partner country Armenia. It's important to avoid words or actions that could lead to further escalation," NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu said on Twitter.

"Any political differences should be resolved peacefully & democratically and in line with Armenia's constitution," she added.

The remarks follow the Armenian military's demand for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to resign.

Army Chief of General Staff Onik Gasparyan, along with other senior commanders, released a statement Thursday that called for Pashinyan to step down.

Pashinyan responded by labelling the demand a coup attempt and urged his supporters to take to the streets to resist.

READ: Russia and Turkey open monitoring centre for Nagorno-Karabakh

The unrest follows the end of a military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan last fall widely seen as a victory for Baku.

Relations between the former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

During the six-week conflict, which ended with a Russian-brokered truce, Azerbaijan liberated several strategic cities and nearly 300 of its settlements and villages from Armenian occupation.

Before this, about 20% of Azerbaijan's territory had been under illegal Armenian occupation for nearly three decades.

Emil Lazarian: “I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS