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    Emil Lazarian
  • 2 years ago
    • Categories: 2022

Redlines not to be crossed; Artsakh will never be part of Azerbaijan – Gegham Stepanyan

ARMINFO
Armenia – May 22 2022
Marianna Mkrtchyan

ArmInfo. There exist redlines not to be crossed. Artsakh will never be part of Azerbaijan, Gegham Stepanyan, Human Rights Defender of Artsakh, told reporters on the  sidelines on the Future Armenian forum as he responded to a question  about possible signing of an Armenian-Azerbaijani agreement in  Brussels, which would grant cultural autonomy to Nagorno-Karabakh.   

No autonomy is acceptable to the Artsakh people. "It is not an end in  itself nor is it a whim. The Artsakh people know what it means to be  autonomy in Azerbaijan on the basis of clear demographic indicators  and the discriminatory policy implemented by Soviet Azerbaijan. The  Azerbaijani population was steadily increasing in Nagorno-Karabakh,  whereas the Armenian population was decreasing. The Azerbaijani way  of life and culture was being forced on the Artsakh Armenians. We  have repeatedly stated we are not going to be part of Azerbaijan  whoever agrees on or adopts anything," Mr Stepanyan said. 

And even if such a document is adopted, the Artsakh people will not  accept it.   

"If a decision happens to be removed from reality, can it be forced  on us? The statements by our National Assembly and everyday  statements by our foreign office suggest that the Artsakh authorities  and people are unanimously stating there exist redlines that cannot  be crossed. The Artsakh people's fate cannot be decided without their  will considered. Those sitting in Brussels or in Washington cannot  decide on the life Stepanakert or Martuni residents must live. It is  absurd," Mr Stepanyan said. 

Following various meetings, he has the impression that Artsakh is  being persuaded into agreeing to join Azerbaijan under the pretext of  international mechanisms of protection of rights. 

"Our clear answer was: 'Do not be deceived. It is impossible.' We are  witnessing a discriminatory policy followed by a 30-year-period of  Azerbaijan's policy of hatred toward Armenians. What rational person  would think that Artsakh could be part of Azerbaijan after that and  the Artsakh people's rights would be protected in Azerbaijan," Mr  Stepanyan said. 

Azerbaijanis brutally murdered 80 civilians, and Azerbaijan is  systematically destroying Armenian cultural monuments in the occupied  territories. 

"What autonomy is being talked about?" Mr Stepanyan said.  

https://arminfo.info/full_news.php?id=69586&lang=3

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