The Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) National Assembly on Friday released a statement on the occasion of Revival Day. It reads as follows:
“The events that took place in Artsakh (formerly the Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast) in February 1988 fundamentally changed not only the subsequent chronicle of not only the indigenous Armenian people living here, but also other peoples of the former Soviet Union.
Tens of thousands of people, using the liberal and democratic ideas proclaimed in the USSR, sought to restore historical justice through peaceful rallies in Stepanakert and other parts of the region—the unfulfilled dream of several generations to reunite the Armenian region with Armenia.
The movement, which is gaining momentum day by day, initially adopted a peaceful solution to the problem raised by legal and political means, which was unequivocally confirmed on February 20 at the 20th special session of the former representative body, the regional council of people's deputies. The historic decision adopted to withdraw the NKAO from the Azerbaijan SSR and reunite it with the Armenian SSR signaled a new stage in the Artsakh national liberation struggle: the Karabakh movement, the civilized determination of the people of Artsakh to advance legally.
Unfortunately, the leadership of the Azerbaijan SSR was not able to use the unique opportunity to resolve the issue correctly, and as a result, the region found itself in a web of temptations for long-term instability and for Azerbaijan to resolve the issue by military means.
As a result of the February 20 decision expressing the will and desire of the absolute majority of the population of the region, Artsakh rightly became a symbol of the pride and national awakening of all Armenians. The wave of the Karabakh movement spread all over the world; and as a result of the organized struggle of all sections of the Armenians, the two Armenian republics were formed in the early 90s of the last century.
The Republic of Artsakh, proclaimed on September 2, 1991 and formed in accordance with the requirements of international law and domestic legislation, was a conscious stop on the road to a united Armenian state.
Our people have paid a very high price in the struggle for the freedom and independence of Artsakh. Thousands of Armenians sacrificed their lives during the 1991-94, 2016 four-day, and 2020 44-day wars. The Republic of Artsakh exists today and continues its struggle for international recognition thanks to the self-sacrifice of those brave people. Our homage to their immortal memory.
In the last 34 years, we have come a long way in establishment and development, victories and failures, and during that time the idea has been strengthened that the future of Armenian Artsakh is guaranteed only in the prospect of living freely and independently.
Expressing the collective will and view of the people of Artsakh, the National Assembly of the Artsakh Republic:
Reaffirms its commitment to the historic decision of February 20, 1988 and its determination to defend its right to live freely in its homeland;
Draws the attention of international stakeholders—and, first of all, the parliaments of the [OSCE] Minsk Group Co-Chair countries—to the fact that the Armenian people of Artsakh have struggled for centuries to preserve their identity, created material and cultural values, which today are endangered as a result of the occupation of some territories of the Artsakh Republic by Azerbaijan;
Calls on the Minsk Group Co-Chairs to take immediate steps, in accordance with the mandate received from the OSCE, to resume the negotiation process on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Lasting peace and stability in the region can only be achieved by respecting the fundamental rights and freedoms of the people of the Artsakh Republic. That is why the Armenians of Artsakh started their liberation struggle in 1988 and are ready to continue it with the determination to reach the final goal.”