17:41,

YEREVAN, APRIL 14, ARMENPRESS. The delegation headed by President of the National Assembly of Armenia Alen Simonyan is participating in the plenary sessions of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS participating states in St. Petersburg.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the press service of the parliament of Armenia, Alen Simonyan delivered an extended speech at the plenary session, which was preceded by the speech of the Speaker of the Milli Mejlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Sahiba Gafarova. Gafarova built her speech with famous Azerbaijani-style provocative rhetoric, accusing the Armenian side of not cooperating and creating various obstacles for Azerbaijanis.

Misrepresenting the situation related to the Lachin Corridor crisis, deliberately avoiding the facts and relevant assessments of international authoritative structures, she put forward old theses that are pleasing to the ears of the Azerbaijani society and are regularly repeated, based on Armenian hatred.

In response to Gafarova's speech, the President of the National Assembly of Armenia presented fact-based situation to the partners of the parliaments of the CIS countries.

“Distinguished Valentina Ivanovna,

Dear colleagues, participants of Plenary Session,

The cooperation within the frameworks of the CIS for Armenia has been and remains an important direction of collaboration. The practical experience accumulated by the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the CIS during these years is very valuable. Together with that, now we should establish guidelines for further joint work as a benefit for the economic, social and cultural development of our peoples and states.

Colleagues,

Today, the world, including our region stands before new challenges. The security crisis and the realities caused because of 44-day war, the aggression followed it and the occupation of 150 km2 sovereign territory of Armenia promise new threats for the whole region.

Violating the paragraphs of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020 and ignoring the requirements of the UN General Judicial body – the UN International Court of Justice, the Azerbaijani authorities as ‘environmentalists’ in mink fur coats, under false pretest have blocked the Lachin Corridor already for more than four months. About 120.000 Armenians residing in Nagorno Karabakh because of failure and blockade of the energy infrastructure are deprived of the accessibility of first aid goods and services, including medical supply of vital importance.

The Russian peacekeeping troops, the mandate of which, by the way, has not been signed by Azerbaijan until now, as well as due to the presence of the International Committee of Red Cross the humanitarian crisis has not outgrown to humanitarian disaster in Nagorno Karabakh.

The illegal blocking of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan under the false ecological veil created real environmental problems in Nagorno Karabakh, as the gas and electricity disruptions resulted in unplanned deforestation, which can result in serious systemized and long-term degradation of the environment.

In parallel with the Lachin Corridor blockade, Baku terrorizes the indigenous Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh. The Azerbaijani Armed Forces regularly violate the ceasefire regime. The peaceful residents doing agricultural work often are shelled. There are numerous announcements of the Russian peacekeeping troops in this connection.

Only a few days ago, on April 11, on the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, on the part of Tegh village of Syunik Region, a group of servicemen of the Azerbaijani armed forces approached the servicemen of the Republic of Armenia under the pretext of clarifying the border checkpoints, provoked from firearm, then also from big caliber weapon and opened fire to the direction of the Armenian positions. There are casualties and wounded on both sides.

Ladies and gentlemen, all actions of the Azerbaijani military are documented by operative video shooting, which is available on the internet.

The implemented provocation is the next encroachment of Azerbaijan against the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia. This policy of Azerbaijan is not new: it is the continuation of the attacks carried out on the Republic of Armenia in May and in November of 2021, as well as in September 2022, as a result of which, Azerbaijan occupied the sovereign territories of the Republic of Armenia.

I should state that in the mentioned part the actions of Baku are provocative, and they oppose the joint statements adopted as a result of meetings held in Prague on October 6, 2022 and in Sochi on October 31.

It is necessary to withdraw the armed forces from both sides on the distance secure from the border, as a reliable guarantee of the situation stability. We express our readiness in this issue from 2021, besides, such action stems from the logic and quadrilateral agreements of Prague and trilateral one of Sochi.

The Armenian side, as before, announces that it has no territorial requirements from its neighbours and towards anybody, and is ready to solve the current issues on the spot through constructive negotiations.

Colleagues,

Out neiighbour does not stop xenophobic policy and rhetoric. Claims are sounded almost against the whole sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia.

I cannot but mention the very important humanitarian issues facing all of us. Until now Azerbaijan illegally holds prisoners of war and the civilians. The issue of preservation of the Armenian cultural heritage on the territories of Nagorno Karabakh that passed under the control of Azerbaijan. The access of the UNESCO Mission into Nagorno Karabakh is blocked, in the event when numerous churches, cemeteries, monuments of marshals and generals of the Great Patriotic War have already been destroyed. The impression is that deleting Armenian letters and breaking to pieces the Armenian cross stones, which are already several hundred years old, is it possible to change the history. It is clear that by that Baku destroys the traces of the centuries-old presence of the Artsakh native people.

Summing up the abovementioned, we call on the international community and all colleagues interested in peace and stability in the region to condemn the aggressive actions of Azerbaijan through addressed statements and distinct steps against the Armenians of the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh and by that prevent the further escalation of the situation, which can be spread to other regions of the world.

Thanks for your attention,” said the President of the National Assembly of Armenia Alen Simonyan.