News - Karabakh parliament deputy speaker: Russian peacekeepers have failed in Artsakh

We have to get out of that emotional field and make a correct assessment. Vahram Balayan, deputy speaker of the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) National Assembly (NA) in exile, on Tuesday told this to reporters outside the Artsakh representative office in Armenia—and referring to the remark that Russia wants new facts and evidence that the Artsakh Armenians were forcibly displaced in September 2023, and asked whether this is a pro-Azerbaijani position on the part of Armenia’s ally Russia. "Naturally, it should be said that way. Today, Russian peacekeepers continue to stay in Artsakh, they had to carry out a certain mission, and it must be said that it has failed; that's how it should be presented. In reality, it was a genocidal act against our people, it is an obvious fact that we must present to the world, show again that our people have the right to full return [to Artsakh], and must fight to exercise that right," said Balayan. To the follow-up question as to how he assesses this position of Russia, he said: "I don't know what their wish is, but we have to present these facts to the whole world. Those facts should be collected, presented to the competent authorities, the countries interested in the matter, showing that a genocidal act was committed against this people and an entire people were dispossessed of their homeland." Balayan gave a negative answer to the question as to whether he considers Russia a part of that genocidal operation by Azerbaijan. "We shouldn't make such an assessment because there are many circumstances that we have to take into account. By giving such assessments every time, we somehow limit our possibilities," he added. Balayan stated that the obligations stipulated by the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020 were not fulfilled. According to him, it is still too early to assess whether the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh were part of that genocide because of their inaction. "We still have a way to go. It seems to me that we should not be deprived of existing opportunities, we should continue to work from the viewpoint of ensuring our full return. That is, I believe there is no need to rush and give such assessments," said Vahram Balayan. The Artsakh NA in exile convened a session at the Artsakh representative office in Armenia. Today marks the 36th anniversary of the Artsakh movement.