MESSAGE TO THE UK ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN RESPECT OF THE UNLAWFUL PROCESS OF UNILATERAL SURRENDER OF LAND IN THE TAVUSH REGION
Dear Compatriots,
The process of unilaterally handing over the sovereign territories of Armenia to the enemy under the name of “Demilitarization” is nothing but capitulation – aiming to satisfy the demands of Azerbaijan in an unlawful, unconstitutional manner, which must be condemned.
The demarcation process is being carried out without clarification and transparency on the principles and legal basis.
Today, the Armenian state is in effect implementing the handing over these four villages in Tavush region to Azerbaijan, unconstitutionally, endangering the security of borders of our homeland and the safety of its population, which is creating number of extremely alarming consequences:
A: The handing over of the territories will create serious security threats to the lives and property rights of thousands of people and their free movement.
B: The strategically important heights and relatively well-defended front line in the north-east will be disbanded and compromised.
C: The recent statement of Prime Minister Pashinyan questioning these four villages being part of the sovereign territory of Armenia, portrays the Republic of Armenia as an aggressor that has been illegally occupying Azerbaijani settlements for more than 30 years.
D: The hand over of these territories will cause huge disruption to Armenia’s regional and local transportation networks, the gas pipelines entering Armenia, as well as telecommunication and electric power lines.
E: By conceding to the Azerbaijani demands, prerequisites will be created for new concessions, this time on the issue of so-called enclaves.
Concessions will lead to new security problems on Armenia’s borders, increasing our vulnerability to possible military actions.
The hand over of territories is unconstitutional and will have adverse legal consequences. The question of the sovereignty over any territory under the jurisdiction of Armenia should exclusively be decided by way of a referendum.
Instead of solving the security problems, by strengthening the army and finding partners that can help us achieve this, the RA authorities are leading the country to a new war and new losses with a false agenda of peace.
In reality, there is no agreed demarcation and delimitation process. Simply, an attempt is made to extract unilateral concessions under the coercion of Azerbaijan.
Concessions in Tavush region are not just a local matter; the return of the so-called Azerbaijani villages will inevitably have serious consequences for the survival and security of our statehood.
Peace dialogues and border disputes can not be carried out under threats, nor can unilateral decisions to hand over native lands be made in these conditions.
Today the population of Tavush have rejected this process and have decided to fight for their rights and the overall security of the homeland.
We, the UK Armenian community, express our unconditional solidarity to our compatriots in Tavush and their resistance for a secure and just Armenia. |