Reaffirms Support for OSCE Minsk Group
WASHINGTON—The Armenian National Committee of America Thursday reaffirmed its principled opposition to the “Madrid Principles,” a deeply flawed and recklessly asymmetrical proposal advanced by the OSCE Minsk Group regarding Artsakh’s status and security.
See the ANCA statement below.
The ANCA supports the OSCE Minsk Group negotiations as a constructive platform for continued talks but rejects its current proposal (known as the “Madrid Principles”) as a deeply flawed and ultimately counter-productive plan that sets back the cause of peace and raises the risks of renewed war.
- The Madrid Principles are profoundly asymmetrical, demanding upfront, strategic, and irrevocable concessions of land and security from Artsakh in return for only vague, deferred, and reversible promises regarding status from Azerbaijan.
- The phasing of the Madrid Principles front-loads all the risk on Artsakh and all the rewards on Azerbaijan. This flawed formula will not lead to peace, but, rather, sets the stage for continued conflict and regional instability.
- The Madrid Principles would force Artsakh, a predominantly Christian nation, under a violent Azerbaijani regime that has recruited extremists (including Afghanistan Mujahideen and ISIS militants from Syria) to fight its anti-Armenian war.
- Azerbaijan has, over the past 25-years, consistently violated its obligations under its 1994 tripartite cease-fire agreement with Armenia and Artsakh, calling into serious question whether its current or future leadership would, in actual practice, respect Baku’s commitments under a Madrid Principles-based peace plan.
- The Madrid Principles run counter to our core American belief in democratic self-determination. A democratic and durable settlement should be based on the right of free citizens to live under a government of their own choosing.
- The Madrid Principles do not address or even acknowledge Azerbaijan’s occupation of Ardzvashen (Republic of Armenia) and parts or all of Shahumyan, Martakert, and Martuni (Republic of Artsakh).
There is no basis – in the context of Armenian history, Azerbaijan’s stated policy, democratic principles, international law, or conflict-resolution precedent – to believe that:
- Artsakh surrendering vast areas of its sovereign territory will somehow make Artsakh more secure or Azerbaijan less aggressive.
- Artsakh making upfront strategic land concessions will be followed by Azerbaijan forfeiting its claim of sovereignty over Artsakh.
- International peace-keepers deployed around Artsakh would actually prevent or even discourage renewed Azerbaijani attacks.
The free citizens of the independent Artsakh Republic, having built a thriving democracy following decades of Soviet rule and Azerbaijani aggression, deserve the same democratic freedoms and human rights that we cherish as Americans.
Artsakh is, at its heart, a very American story, representing the victory of a free people over foreign rule.
The citizens of the Republic of Artsakh, through their democratically elected government, are entitled to make decisions regarding their destiny, including through Artsakh’s full return to any and all international talks regarding status and security issues.
Artsakh – a democratic, Christian, pro-Western republic, standing strong against the forces of intolerance, deserves strong American support.
We encourage the United States to exercise continued leadership in the OSCE Minsk Group and encourage all parties to:
- Set aside the failed Madrid Principles and abandon this deeply-flawed phased and asymmetrical approach to conflict resolution,
- Develop a new, democracy and self-determination driven approach that addresses – on a horizontal basis and in a package-based format – outstanding status and security issues between the republics of Artsakh and Azerbaijan, and
- Join with Armenia in demanding the full restoration of the Republic of Artsakh’s participation in all peace talks, negotiations, and decision-making regarding its future.
Finally, someone wake up and read the BS. Armenia has to talk from position of the winner.
It is inaccurate and serious to say “it is the position of the victors” because it is an incitement to war, while simply it is the political position of “Fraternite between peoples” decided by Stalin who offered, by an autocratic decision, this region autonomous, at all times by the Armenians, has the Administration, I insist only under administration of Baku. Apart from the totalitarian system which imploed the people of Artsakh has rejected and terminated this administration by the respect of international law or self-determination. Azerbaijan received as a gift from this same executioner “Stalin” the Armenian territory of Nakhichevan and the implosion Baku understood the legitimacy of land claims by the Armenians and Baku hasten to erase the secular traces who were witnesses of the appatenancy of these territories to the Armenians. The churches and tombstones were destroyed under the watch UNESCO, and the world of culture, without any protest, petrol and corruption helping. Then Azerbaijan, with the help of the diplomacy of the powerful colonizer, Gorbachev, seized cities and regions belonging to the Armenians of Artsakh example Chaoumian. Not the Armenians United around this problem post siovietique will no longer bear these arbitrary decisions under the weight of the Baku petrol in violation of historical facts and international law. In the end there has been around this issue a lot of principles stopped out of Madrid so which accepts. Times are changing and Baku has shown its true face by falsification of facts, corruption, up to Europe, without account the tyrannic pressures exerted against its people in order to distract from colossal funds for the sole benefit of his family and his entourage
Thanks to diabolic plans of Hillary Clinton, the way Jesus was sold in exchange for 30 silver coins, she sold her soul and her principles, I hope president Trump puts her behind bars and throws the keys in her sht hole.
President Trump sent John Bolton, the biggest war monger useless screw, to strong arm Armenia regarding Iran.. And when will Trump ever recognize the Armenian Genocide.. Never!
NO PEACE NO TALKS NO NEGOTIATIONS CAN BE WITHOUT PARTICIPATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARTSAKH.
HOW YOU CAN NEGOTIATE ABOUT REPUBLIC OF ARSAKH WITHOUT PARTICIPATION OF ARSAKH?
(WE NEVER HEART ANYTHIG LIKED FOR ANY REPUBLIC)
It is amazingly surprising to read news like the ( Madrid principals ) are flawed for a lasting peace.
Those who represented our homeland during the negotiations Were INCAPABLE to negotiate an agreement to seal our war successes.
Why did they succumb to pressure ….what can be their excuse?.
Azerbaijan asked the ceasefire , Armenia won the war….should one accept that Armenia did a lousy job to defend her legitimate right and what excuse can be provided?..
Again who in the Armenian leadership would agree to even entertain this nonsense of the Madrid Principals knowing the history and barbarism of the Turkish Azeri regimes mentality?The corrupt Artsakh leadership of the past. Thats who.. The right approach is that we won liberation and ALL NEGOTIATIONS And AGREEMENTS starts with the understanding of a free and independent Artsakh. PERIOD! All else follows that. We dont need to appease the Azeri’s or the Mink group ever. Also the defensive approach of the Armenian military with out consequences leads to the constant cease fire breaches by the Azeri regime. Another mistake. BE PROACTIVE. Prepare the society for war. Thats reality. Turks mentality isn’t about peace and friendship. Its about opportunity, exploiting and weakness.. Also no talk EVER from our weak Armenian leadership of the Azeri’s still occupying other parts of Artsakh and all the Armenians refugees who left Azerbaijan with NOTHING! Once you give up lands they will never return. Gone forever. And there is nothing to give. NOW is the time for making it clear what is just and acceptable. Last, when will there be diaspora military units created? Another major mistake by the Armenian leadership. What a resource the Armenian authorities are missing. We are the smartest people yet sometimes the stupidest at the same time as we fight among ourselves. “Divided we fall” should be the Armenian motto that describes us the best because its the sad TRUTH!
Amen! If the Administration has any of the fervor that it has already displayed for Israel also in mind for Armenia and Armenians in the Caucasus region, then it’s time to make such demands upon OSCE and the Council of Europe, at the very least. Beyond this, it should recall such State Dept. players as John Kirby, Marie Jovanovich, among others, for their truculence in these and other affairs.
At the Treaty of Lausanne 1923 the powers that were to accept the Treaty of Sèvres 1920 with the traces of our territories defined by President Wilson betrayed us and are co-responsible for the genocide by having offered us in the hands of the Turk. It was already the Group of Minsk, Russia US, French (second betrayal after brutal abandonment Cilicia) so? Nothing has changed these same States are still here to decide our destiny for 2 glasses of oil, corrupting decision makers, to sell our last bones. Fortunately the Tachnags the CDCA are still the
I hope Armenia and Armenians do not forget history, from Berlin conference to present the promises made to Armenian people by the big powers USA, BRITAIN, FRANCE, RUSSIA about protecting Armenian peoples rights, yet because of oil and business those promises were cast aside and Armenia and Armenians lost our independence and historical lands. Any peace agreement must have double or triple guarantees of success and safety to be implemented. Otherwise a hundred years from now our children and grandchildren will remember Genocide II.