09:15,
YEREVAN, MARCH 30, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has endorsed the Declaration of the 2023 Summit for Democracy with reservation.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated on March 29 in the plenary session of the Summit for Democracy, a forum held online at the initiative of United States President Joe Biden.
Armenia expressed reservation regarding preambular Paragraph 3 of the Declaration of the 2023 Summit for Democracy “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.”
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.”