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The member of the RA NA delegation to Inter-Parliamentary Union, the deputy of the Armenia Faction Levon Kocaryan gave a speech at the 148^th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

“Dear Colleagues,

It has been sixth months since the armed forces of Azerbaijan attacked and conquered the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Indeed, on September 19, 2023, after enduring nearly 10 months of a blockade that caused mass starvation, deprivation, illness, and death, and now faced with imminent destruction, over 120,000 Armenians, virtually the entire population, were forced to leave their homeland in just a few days.

I followed the events in my birthplace from Armenia with great concern and pain as my childhood memories of taking shelter for days and weeks from Azerbaijani aerial bombardments in the early 1990s were reanimated. The people of Nagorno-Karabakh have an ancient and profound connection to their homeland, with historical evidence dating back centuries. Generations have lived, worked, and built their lives in this region, establishing a rich cultural heritage that binds them to the land.

Despite the challenges, the people of Nagorno-Karabakh remain resolute in their determination to return to their homeland, to determine their political future, and to exercise their own democratic self-governance. Under Articles of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh have the absolute right to return to their homeland. The International Court of Justice ruled on November 17 last year that Azerbaijan must “ensure” that the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh are able to return in a “safe, unimpeded, and expeditious manner.”

On March 12, the European Parliament adopted a resolution calling on Azerbaijan to “genuinely engage in a comprehensive and transparent dialogue with the Karabakh Armenians to ensure respect for their rights and guarantee their security, including their right to return to and live in their homes in dignity and safety under international presence.” Achieving enduring peace in the region remains unattainable when the Nagorno-Karabakh people are forcefully uprooted from their homeland and a coerced notion of “peace” is imposed upon Armenia.

Facilitating the return of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh to their homeland under international protection and guarantees is essential for promoting lasting peace and stability in the region and this notion must be incorporated into the peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Indeed, recognizing and safeguarding the right of return is not only a matter of justice and human rights but also essential for promoting peace, stability, and reconciliation in the region. It requires a concerted effort by the international community to uphold the principles of international law and ensure the dignity and rights of all individuals affected by the conflict.

Thank you,” Levon Kocharyan said.