Yerevan, October 23
Statement of the Armenian National Congress In the American "Newsweek" magazine, Hikmet Hajiyev, the foreign policy adviser of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, published an article in which, trying to justify Azerbaijan's refusal to sign a peace treaty with Armenia, he writes:
"Major obstacles remain on our way.
The first is the Constitution of Armenia, which calls for the annexation of the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan to Armenia. This constitutional revanchist demand has been an obstacle for peace in the past. In 1996, the then president of Armenia refused to sign the final declaration of the OSCE summit, arguing that the Constitution of Armenia does not allow signing an international document recognizing Karabakh as part of the territory of Azerbaijan.
What Hajiyev said is another falsehood of Azerbaijani militant propaganda.
In 1996, in Lisbon, the First President of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, twice expressed Armenia's position regarding the Karabakh conflict settlement plan, which offered Nagorno Karabakh the highest self-governing status within Azerbaijan.
1. It happened for the first time in the plenary session, when the president announced. "In our deep conviction, if the Karabakh problem is solved on the basis of the principles proposed by Azerbaijan, the population of Nagorno Karabakh will face the constant threat of genocide or forced displacement. The experience of anti-Armenian pogroms in Sumgait (February 1988), Kirovabad (November 1988) and Baku (January 1990), as well as the deportation of the population of 24 Armenian villages in Karabakh (May-June 1991) clearly shows that Azerbaijan, despite all assurances, cannot provide security guarantees for the population of Nagorno-Karabakh".
2. The second statement of Levon Ter-Petrosyan was registered as the second appendix of the official document of the OSCE Lisbon Summit and it justifies the application of the veto by Armenia to the proposed settlement of the Karabakh conflict as follows. "The declaration predetermines the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, contradicting the decision of the OSCE Ministerial Council, which reserves this authority to the Minsk Group Conference, which should be convened after a political agreement is reached."
3. As we have stated many times in the past, the Constitution does not provide any other borders for Armenia than the internationally recognized borders of 1991, which was once again confirmed by the decision of the Armenian Supreme Court. Thus, Azerbaijan is presenting an obvious lie to the international community, trying to justify the rejection of peace with Armenia. with allegedly existing "constitutional obstacles".
It is unfortunate that such a serious media outlet as "Newsweek" magazine did not properly verify the authenticity of Hajiyev's claims.
However, the real problem is not this lie presented by Azerbaijan and easily refuted if desired. The problem is more the barren policy of Nikol Pashinyan, who was obliged to bring to the attention of the international community and, in particular, "Newsweek" magazine, the official answer of Armenia denying the lies of Azerbaijan and insist on its publication. Pashinyan's diplomacy, however, silenced the Azerbaijani lie. By doing so, he once again, in fact, expressed solidarity with Azerbaijan's falsifying policy. The same applies to Azerbaijan's claims about the "genocide" of Khojaly. At that time, too, the Armenian National Congress had to take over the function of the Armenian authorities and present the evidence refuting the false propaganda of Azerbaijan.
ANC Vice President Levon Zurabyan
Statement of the Armenian National Congress In the American "Newsweek" magazine, Hikmet Hajiyev, the foreign policy adviser of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, published an article in which, trying to justify Azerbaijan's refusal to sign a peace treaty with Armenia, he writes:
"Major obstacles remain on our way.
The first is the Constitution of Armenia, which calls for the annexation of the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan to Armenia. This constitutional revanchist demand has been an obstacle for peace in the past. In 1996, the then president of Armenia refused to sign the final declaration of the OSCE summit, arguing that the Constitution of Armenia does not allow signing an international document recognizing Karabakh as part of the territory of Azerbaijan.
What Hajiyev said is another falsehood of Azerbaijani militant propaganda.
In 1996, in Lisbon, the First President of Armenia, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, twice expressed Armenia's position regarding the Karabakh conflict settlement plan, which offered Nagorno Karabakh the highest self-governing status within Azerbaijan.
1. It happened for the first time in the plenary session, when the president announced. "In our deep conviction, if the Karabakh problem is solved on the basis of the principles proposed by Azerbaijan, the population of Nagorno Karabakh will face the constant threat of genocide or forced displacement. The experience of anti-Armenian pogroms in Sumgait (February 1988), Kirovabad (November 1988) and Baku (January 1990), as well as the deportation of the population of 24 Armenian villages in Karabakh (May-June 1991) clearly shows that Azerbaijan, despite all assurances, cannot provide security guarantees for the population of Nagorno-Karabakh".
2. The second statement of Levon Ter-Petrosyan was registered as the second appendix of the official document of the OSCE Lisbon Summit and it justifies the application of the veto by Armenia to the proposed settlement of the Karabakh conflict as follows. "The declaration predetermines the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, contradicting the decision of the OSCE Ministerial Council, which reserves this authority to the Minsk Group Conference, which should be convened after a political agreement is reached."
3. As we have stated many times in the past, the Constitution does not provide any other borders for Armenia than the internationally recognized borders of 1991, which was once again confirmed by the decision of the Armenian Supreme Court. Thus, Azerbaijan is presenting an obvious lie to the international community, trying to justify the rejection of peace with Armenia. with allegedly existing "constitutional obstacles".
It is unfortunate that such a serious media outlet as "Newsweek" magazine did not properly verify the authenticity of Hajiyev's claims.
However, the real problem is not this lie presented by Azerbaijan and easily refuted if desired. The problem is more the barren policy of Nikol Pashinyan, who was obliged to bring to the attention of the international community and, in particular, "Newsweek" magazine, the official answer of Armenia denying the lies of Azerbaijan and insist on its publication. Pashinyan's diplomacy, however, silenced the Azerbaijani lie. By doing so, he once again, in fact, expressed solidarity with Azerbaijan's falsifying policy. The same applies to Azerbaijan's claims about the "genocide" of Khojaly. At that time, too, the Armenian National Congress had to take over the function of the Armenian authorities and present the evidence refuting the false propaganda of Azerbaijan.
ANC Vice President Levon Zurabyan
