Artsakh MFA: The prevention of genocide is the responsibility of every state

“On September 19, the Azerbaijani armed forces launched a military offensive against the Republic of Artsakh, violating the principles of international law and the provisions of the Trilateral Statement on Cessation of Hostilities of November 9, 2020.
The capital Stepanakert and other cities and villages are currently under heavy shelling. There are casualties, including among the civilian population.

The military aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan during the ongoing illegal blockade of the Republic of Artsakh is an undisguised genocide and an ultimate expression of denial of the fundamental rights of the people of Artsakh. The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan has already openly declared its intention to forcibly relocate 120,000 residents of Artsakh, which is tantamount to the destruction of the people of Artsakh as such, its unity and integrity.

Subjecting the whole country to an illegal siege and using hunger as a method of war, Azerbaijan decided to resort to force, confident that it would not meet resistance from the international community. The Azerbaijani authorities have been preparing the ground for this military attack in recent weeks, openly and falsely accusing Artsakh and Armenia of military provocations. It should be emphasized that none of these fake claims were confirmed by the reports of the Russian peacekeeping troops.

Azerbaijan’s military aggression against Artsakh is a direct consequence of the lack of decisive measures on the part of the international actors to stop Azerbaijan’s genocidal actions and the illegal blockade of Artsakh, which has been going on for more than 9 months. Ignoring warnings about Azerbaijan’s criminal intentions and refusing to take appropriate actions, all responsible international actors failed to prevent another aggression of Azerbaijan against Artsakh.

The Republic of Artsakh demands from the international community to take all necessary steps to immediately stop the Azerbaijani military aggression and ensure the safety of the population. The prevention of genocide is the responsibility of every state, including the participants involved in it. Inaction contributes to the commission of a crime,” the statement says.