NATO member state Turkey must stop being part of this conflict and uphold the ceasefire: President Armen Sarkissian met in Brussels with the Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg

President Armen Sarkissian today in Brussels, at the headquarters of NATO met with the Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg.

President Armen Sarkissian spoke of the situation ensuing from Azerbaijan military ag-gression against the Republic of Artsakh and on the border with Armenia and especially of his concern with NATO member Turkey’s explicit political and military assistance to Azerbaijan.

Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg expressed concern with the situation and particularly with the targeting of the civilian population. He expressed hope that the par-ties would respect agreements on ceasefire and would get back to the table of negotia-tions under the co-chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group.

After the meeting the President of Armenia and NATO Secretary General made a state-ment for press.

“Mr. President, I am glad to see you here. I highly value our discussions which are im-portant for NATO and for Armenia,” Jens Stoltenberg said in his welcoming remarks. “NATO and Armenia have years-long cooperation, and I am thankful for the input that Armenia has had in NATO missions and activities. At the meeting we spoke also about our mission in Afghanistan and I highly value Armenia’s consistent contribution to our mission in Afghanistan.

We have also held discussions on crisis in Nagorno Karabakh. I reminded the President that NATO is not a party to this conflict. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been NATO’s valu-able partners for over 25 years. NATO is deeply concerned with the ongoing violations of the ceasefire which are claiming human lives. It is important for NATO and international security that military actions stop, sufferings stop, and a peaceful resolution is found. It is also vital that all parties manifest restraint, uphold the ceasefire and reduce tension. Tar-geting of civilian population is unacceptable in any case and must be stopped. All should work to achieve sustainable political solution to the problem. Armenia and Azerbaijan should resume negotiations to achieve a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Efforts of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group remain important.”

President Armen Sarkissian said in his remarks, “I would like to support your words and also noted that cooperation between Armenia and NATO has a history, and all these years Armenia has been a good partner. As you have noted we have peacekeepers in Kosovo and Afghanistan who are fighting against Islamist terrorists. Here, I will not only confirm that we have had partnership of many years but will also talk with you and your colleagues of an issue which relates not only to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and people Nagor-no Karabakh but is significant for the entire region.

I agree with you that this conflict has no military solution. We are glad that there is the platform of the OSCE Minsk Group with its three co-chairs – US, France, and Russia. I value the work of these three co-chairs and of the presidents of these three states, efforts of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Lavrov. But unfortunately, not only 10 days ago, not even today, when our foreign minister is in Moscow, we see that the war in Nagorno Karabakh still goes on. Any act of war and shelling of civilian population is totally unacceptable.

Here, at the NATO headquarters, I would like to express my concern because, unfortu-nately, many analysts and those who follow the NK conflict closely, now, when it has re-sumed as a war, are saying that it is not anymore a conflict between the Republic of Artsakh or Nagorno Karabakh people and Azerbaijan, but there is also the third party which provides political, diplomatic and military assistance to Azerbaijan. That third party is also engaged in the actions. That third party has supported and brought Islamist terror-ists to the region. And unfortunately that third party is a NATO member. Being here I could not avoid mentioning that third party which is Turkey. I believe that Turkey, member of NATO must stop being a party to the conflict and maintain ceasefire, should understand that a peaceful solution must be found. I that case I believe, ceasefire will be upheld and after that we will be able to return to negotiations, with the mediation of the Minsk Group, and finally find a peaceful solution to the conflict.

Thank you, Mr. Secretary General. I hope that next time we meet in a more peaceful situa-tion, especially in our territory, which is an important part of the Caucasus and the entire region.”

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Press remarks by
H.E. Dr. Armen SARKISSIAN, President of the Republic of Armenia,
at the Press Point with NATO Secretary General Jens STOLTENBERG,
21 October 2020, Brussels

Distinguished Secretary General,

Armenia and NATO for almost three decades have steadily developed a rich agenda of relations encompassing both high-level dialogue and a number of areas of practical cooperation.

Having its own tremendous security challenges, Armenia continues to provide important contribution to the international efforts aimed at preserving peace and security worldwide. And even in the current circumstances, Armenia will remain committed to continue contributing to the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan and Kosovo Forces.

I have briefed the Secretary General about the ongoing large-scale aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against Artsakh /Nagorno Karabakh/ and Armenia. The peace-loving people of Artsakh are faced with humanitarian challenges. The civilian settlements and infrastructures, including schools and kindergartens, a church and hospitals in Artsakh, including capital Stepanakert and Shushi, are still being subjected to massive bombardments with extensive use of forbidden weapons, such as cluster munitions resulting in dozens of civilian casualties and serious devastation. The territory of the Republic of Armenia is also being targeted, due to which there are civilian casualties, children have been injured. These attacks, cannot be justified by any military necessity and constitute a war crime.

We are deeply concerned that instead of calling for ceasefire as NATO and the entire international community do, Turkey by its statements and actions continues to support the Azerbaijani aggression against the people of Artsakh and Armenia thus justifying the use of force as the only acceptable solution.

It’s of great concern, I assume, not only for us, that NATO Ally Turkey’s military capabilities and armaments are being used against the civilian population of Artsakh and Armenia. It’s equally regrettable that some NATO member states’ military equipment and arms, assembled with dual-use technologies and spare parts produced, as well as certified by NATO standards, are also being transferred to Azerbaijan and utilized against the civilians. Obviously, this raises questions related to end user certificate.

I reiterate that there is no military solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and Armenia is committed to exclusively peaceful resolution of the conflict. I stressed the importance of NATO’s continued support to the mediation efforts of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

It is of crucial importance that the international community sends a decisive and unequivocal message to the leadership of Azerbaijan that its reckless adventurism and ill-fated offensive against Artsakh and its people will not be tolerated.

Moreover, it’s imperative that any third country in their statements and actions refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and steps that can provoke and further escalate the situation on the ground thus endangering the security and stability of entire region, which has a potential of spilling over beyond the conflict zone with unpredictable consequences for international peace and security.

We have also touched upon the issue of foreign terrorist fighters and inflow of large number of radicals to Azerbaijan as a very dangerous development. The fact of Azerbaijan’s active recruitment, training and transportation of terrorists from Syria and Libya by facilitation of one NATO member state close to the borders of Artsakh Republic and placing them along the Line of Contact between Artsakh and Azerbaijan is already well established and documented by vast majority of countries, including NATO member states.

Here, I think, the international community should be alarmed by the fact of terrorists’ presence, which eventually could turn the territory of Azerbaijan into another safe haven for international terrorists.

In concluding, I would like to stress that Armenia looks forward to continuing its political dialogue and partnership relations with the North Atlantic Alliance.

I thank you.