Former Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian wrote on Facebook that international support for the right of return of Artsakh Armenians is irreversible, and the issue will return to the negotiating table once Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan leaves office.
“In Strasbourg, Nikol Pashinyan once again tried to put an end to the Artsakh issue, claiming the return is ‘closed,’ ‘unrealistic,’ and that those raising it are disrupting the peace process. This is not only a self-serving position, but also a dangerous distortion of reality.
Just days ago, the U.S. administration officially reaffirmed that the right of return for Armenians of Artsakh is central to any just resolution. It also highlighted the importance of releasing Armenian political prisoners and preserving cultural heritage. The Washington statement recorded a simple truth: there can be no lasting peace without return. Denying this means denying a reality that the U.S. has already officially recognized.
Pashinyan’s concern is twofold. First, he has made such deep and broad concessions to Azerbaijan that he sees reopening the issue as impossible. Second, he fears that putting the right of return back on the agenda could delay the signing of the ‘peace agreement’, which he hopes to leverage for upcoming elections. In other words, one man’s political survival is being placed above an entire people’s rights. But real peace cannot be turned into an electoral slogan, nor built on ethnic cleansing.
International support for the right of return is unstoppable. The International Court of Justice has already ordered Azerbaijan to ensure the safe and unimpeded return of displaced persons,” he wrote.
Oskanian added that the European Parliament, France, Belgium, and Switzerland have also reaffirmed this principle.
“Lawmakers and governments of key states are stating clearly: peace cannot be lasting if it legitimizes the erasure of an indigenous people.
This issue is not closed. It lives in international law, diplomatic resolutions, and in the hearts of all who want genuine peace and justice.
In a post-Pashinyan Armenia, I have no doubt that the right of return will be back on the table, with the full support of international actors. Everyone understands: real peace will come only when the Armenians of Artsakh can return to their homes, in conditions of security and dignity,” Oskanian wrote.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recently stated from the PACE podium that he does not consider the return of displaced persons to Artsakh realistic. He said the public must be told this honestly so they can plan for the future. “The issue of return in this context, in general, is dangerous for the peace process,” he added, warning that its politicization could create new tensions.
