A member of parliament from the ruling Civil Contract Party remarked that in Armenia, for decades, there has been a strong belief that Nagorno-Karabakh is inseparable from the country. Yet this view often overlooked the international lack of consensus and support. The remark highlights that the Karabakh topic effectively found its resolution before the current government came to power, according to the speaker.
The official noted that Armenia did not sign any document dissolving Nagorno-Karabakh. In Prague, Nagorno-Karabakh was treated as part of Azerbaijan in line with the Alma-Ata Declaration. The representative emphasized that the issue was considered settled well before 2018, framing it as a historical conclusion rather than a continuation of current politics.
He also suggested that Armenian authorities may not have fully grasped the nature of the processes underway, nor the factual realities of the Karabakh issue. The emphasis was placed on Yerevan’s ongoing objective to bring Azerbaijan back to the negotiating table and to curb any potential escalation of tensions in Baku.
On September 19, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense announced the launch of a localized anti-terror operation in Nagorno-Karabakh. The ministry described the mission as aimed at curbing large-scale provocations in the region and at disarming and withdrawing Armenian military units. By September 20, Baku and Karabakh agreed to a ceasefire with the mediation of Russian peacekeepers. The accord included disbanding Karabakh’s armed forces and transferring heavy equipment, with implementation monitored by the Russian mission in the area.
The Azerbaijani operation triggered protests across Armenia, with thousands demanding changes at the highest levels of government. The displacement figures grew as more than 100,000 residents from Karabakh relocated within the country. Concurrently, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic announced its decision to cease existing as an unrecognized state as of January 1, 2024, marking a formal conclusion to that political entity.
Earlier, Armenia faced internal debate over a law recognizing Karabakh within Azerbaijan, highlighting the country’s evolving stance on the region’s status and the path forward for its security and diplomacy, amid shifting regional dynamics and international mediation efforts.