Armenia’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday issued a statement on the one year anniversary of the depopulation and ethnic cleansing of Artsakh.
“One year ago, on September 19, the entire indigenous population of Nagorno-Karabakh—over 115,000 Armenians—was forced to abandon its own settlements within a few days as a result of a military attack by Azerbaijan,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
“This displacement, which was the final phase of the policy of ethnic cleansing, happened during the UN General Assembly session when the entire international community was once again discussing the imperative of peaceful resolution of conflicts, establishment and development of stability, condemning the manifestations of use of force and violations of international norms and human rights in various corners across the world,” the statement added.
“Over the past year, the Armenian government, with support from international partners, has taken all necessary steps to address the primary and mid-term needs of the displaced Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as to develop the necessary programs in the long-term perspective,” the foreign ministry claimed.
“The high-level debates of the UN General Assembly will once again begin in New York next week: The developments of the past year showcased the importance of urgent efforts to ensure international stability and implementation of ideas and steps enabling the establishment of peace,” the statement said.
“The position of the Republic of Armenia over ensuring stability in South Caucasus is unambiguous: swift establishment of peace and relations based on the respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the vision of ensuring sustainable development in the region, effective interconnectivity and prosperity,” the foreign ministry added.
“We expect from other interested actors in this issue to display the necessary political will and commitment to the peace agenda with the purpose of not missing the existing chance of implementing the latter, as well as developing an atmosphere conducive to more sustainable and dignified life for generations,” said the statement.
Official Baku was quick to respond to the Armenian foreign ministry’s statement, denouncing the use of the term “ethnic cleansing” to characterize the events leading up to the forced displacement of the Artsakh population.
“It is hypocritical to describe the departure of Armenians from the territory of Azerbaijan as ethnic cleansing,” said Aykhan Hajizade, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, in response to Yerevan’s statement.
“It is unacceptable when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia qualifies the disarmament and withdrawal of the units of the Armenian armed forces in the economic region of Karabakh, which was aimed at restoring Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and constitutional order, as an ‘attack on Nagorno Karabakh’ and ‘ethnic cleansing,’ Hajizade added.
