Armenia believes the lack of adequate reaction from the relevant international structures and strong measures in response to the clear incompliance of Azerbaijan with its legally binding obligations allowed the latter to further pursue its aggressive policies with impunity.
On September 19, Azerbaijan launched a military offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh, which left hundreds of Armenians killed and thousands of others displaced. On September 20, the authorities of Nagorno-Karabakh agreed to a ceasefire on Azerbaijan’s terms, including the dissolution of the Defense Army. On September 18, President of the Republic of Artsakh Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree, according to which the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) will cease to exist by January 1, 2024. As of 1 October, 100,625 displaced residents have already fled Nagorno-Karabakh and reached Armenia.
Armenia's Permanent Representative Mher Margaryan said in his statement at the UNGA78 First Committee General Debate on Wednesday, October 5 that there is no shortage of evidence indicating the premeditated and well-planned character of the large-scale aggression.
"It was preceded by a heavy military buildup by Azerbaijan along the line of contact with Nagorno-Karabakh and the state border with Armenia, and accumulation of offensive heavy weaponry, including artillery, multiple rocket launchers, mortars and combat uncrewed aerial vehicles. The preparations for the current aggression were accompanied by a massive disinformation campaign, spreading false allegations about the so-called provocations by Nagorno-Karabakh, which have regularly been refuted. As was the case in 2020, the indiscriminate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure often with prohibited weapons served to spread terror and inflict maximum casualties amongst the population," Margaryan said.
"The policy of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh, the use of force and attempts to instigate new large-scale conflict and destabilize the regional security received a clear condemnation by many member states and institutions."
"Armenia reaffirms its strong commitment to the global efforts in the areas of disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control. In this regard, we attach great importance to the full and universal implementation of the legally binding international obligations, effective national implementation measures, as well as transparent and result-oriented international cooperation to this end.
"Unchecked military buildup accompanied by open threats represent warning signs of a risk of escalation and, therefore, should be closely monitored and assessed by the international organizations, including by the missions on the ground. As we collectively seek to develop a New Agenda for Peace, the strengthening of the monitoring, fact-finding and reporting capacities of the United Nations is crucial for timely identifying the risks of dangerous escalation and prevention of further atrocities."
