On Sunday 27 September, the Azerbaijani armed forces resumed their attack on targets inside Artsakh (the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave) and reignited a dangerous conflict that could quickly escalate and further endanger the peace and stability in the already volatile region. The Communist Party of Armenia strongly and unequivocally condemns the assault by the Azerbaijani military forces and their Turkish backers, as well as the vile rhetoric of their political leaders, which has been consciously directed against the civilians of Artsakh and Armenia.
The aggressors have targeted not only Armenian defensive positions, but also civilianpopulations and infrastructure. Thus, there are reports of extensive casualties, both civilian and military, resulting from this unrestrained aggression.
We are seriously concerned over confirmed reports of the significant-scale recruiting of mercenary jihadi fighters in the last few months, to be dispatched to Azerbaijan to assist regular Azeri military forces in their planned invasion of Artsakh. We strongly call upon the United Nations to thoroughly investigate these occurrences and to urge the Turkish government to desist from such practices. All such mercenary forces should be immediately disbanded and repatriated to their countries of origin.
We are also concerned that the Turkish premier, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been quoted as threatening the country’s support for a full-scale attack on the Republic of Armenia with the aim of overthrowing its legitimate democratically-elected government. We consider such statements of intention to be in breach of the UN Charter and international law. The Communist Party of Armenia strongly and unequivocally condemns these provocative statements!
The Communist Party of Armenia is calling for people to show the necessary calm, measure, and restraint to ensure stability and order in our communities. It is therefore necessary that the people of Armenia refrain from any knee-jerk hyper-nationalism, or pandering to ethno-sectarian hysteria, as a response to these troubles.
It is our view, in the current circumstances, that all Armenian progressive and patriotic forces and individuals exercise extreme discipline in resisting the aggression in all its manifestations,while fully supporting the Armenian statehood and its armed forces.
The Communist Party of Armenia calls for all peace-loving people across the world, as well as left and progressive forces globally, to stand together for peace and to condemn the military aggression inflicted upon the civilian and defenseless population of Artsakh and the border towns and cities of Armenia. We appreciate the efforts of the government of the Russian Federation to stop the bloodshed and bring about an immediate ceasefire, and call upon Russian President Vladimir Putin to use his influence and international authority to facilitate movement towards an international initiative to bring about a swift end to this long-simmering conflict once and for all. We also call upon the government of the Russian Federation to honour and stand by its noble history as a principled ally and neighbour of Armenia during its darkest hours.
The Communist Party of Armenia categorically condemns any outside intervention in the internal affairs of Armenia and attempts to violate the borders and undermine stability of the country. Our Party calls for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire leading to negotiations towards a permanent peace agreement under the auspices of the UN and based on the UN Charter.
Communist Party of Armenia