Robert Kocharyan stated that the only possible path for the return of Karabakh Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh is through adherence to the November 9, 2020, trilateral statement. He emphasized that if Azerbaijan acknowledges the provisions of this document, the Armenian side can insist on implementing all its points and resume discussions. "This is the only leverage to reintegrate the return of Karabakh Armenians into the negotiation process. I see this possibility, though the probability is very low, extremely low. But we are in a situation where even the slightest chance must be seized, so that a year from now we don't regret missing this opportunity," Kocharyan noted, as reported by Aysor.am .
He criticized the current Armenian government for not taking these steps, suggesting they prefer that Karabakh Armenians do not return to their birthplace. "We are not pursuing this because the current authorities don't want the Karabakh Armenians to return there, believing it might complicate their lives. They'd rather the Karabakh Armenians not even stay in Armenia. There's a principle: 'no person—no problem.' This is the path we're on now," Kocharyan stated.
Addressing claims that during his tenure, Artsakh was excluded from the negotiation process, Kocharyan labeled this a false narrative. He pointed out that during his administration, all actions within the Minsk Group framework involved Artsakh's participation, and it was recognized as a party to the conflict. "Recall one instance during my tenure when the co-chairs visited the region and didn't go to Karabakh or meet its leadership. All activities within the Minsk Group involved Karabakh's participation; it was a party to the conflict," he emphasized.
Kocharyan added that without the Key West negotiations, where Aliyev essentially agreed to Artsakh joining Armenia, there wouldn't have been the Madrid Principles, which affirmed Artsakh's right to self-determination. "This right was established not merely by combining territorial integrity and self-determination but by providing the opportunity for full self-determination leading to the establishment of the Republic of Artsakh," he explained.
Note: On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale attack on Artsakh, subjecting the region to intense shelling. As a result, on September 20, the authorities of the Republic of Artsakh accepted the Russian peacekeeping mission's proposal for a ceasefire, agreeing to Baku's terms, including the disarmament of the Defense Army and the dissolution of the Republic of Artsakh. Starting September 24, over 100,000 residents were forcibly displaced to Armenia, with reports indicating that only about 20 Armenians remained in Artsakh. On September 28, President Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree dissolving the Republic of Artsakh, effective January 1, 2024.