ANCA: peace must not come at the cost of Armenian sovereignty

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), Aram Hamparian, issued a statement in response to the ongoing discussions surrounding a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"ANCA strives for real peace—a just and lasting peace that respects the rights of the Armenian people and ensures the return of Armenians to Artsakh, rather than a false ‘peace’ that demands unilateral concessions of Armenia’s security and sovereignty under the threat of force," Hamparian stated.

He pointed out that, according to Armenian and Azerbaijani officials, the proposed agreement is designed to formally normalize relations while ignoring Azerbaijan’s genocidal actions, the illegal detention and torture of Armenian prisoners of war, ongoing threats against Armenia, and obstacles preventing the return of Artsakh’s Armenian population.

"In 2020, following the war launched by Turkey and Azerbaijan against Artsakh and Armenia, Azerbaijan imposed a 10-month blockade on Artsakh, culminating in mass attacks in September 2023 and the forced displacement of 120,000 Armenians."

Given the obstacles to peace, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, "The U.S. welcomes the conclusion of negotiations on a historic peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This is an opportunity for both nations to turn the page on decades of conflict in line with President Trump’s vision for a more peaceful world. Now is the time to commit to peace, sign and ratify the treaty, and usher in a new era of prosperity for the people of the South Caucasus."

ANCA continues to advocate for a peace agreement that does not jeopardize Armenia’s security and sovereignty, ensures its constitutional integrity, and guarantees the return of forcibly displaced Armenians to their historic homeland.

Armenia’s Foreign Ministry has announced that it has accepted Azerbaijan’s proposals on the two previously unresolved articles, finalizing the peace agreement for signing. Armenia is now prepared to begin consultations on the timing and location of the signing. Meanwhile, Baku has introduced new preconditions, stating that it is too early to discuss the timing of a meeting.

The draft peace agreement consists of 17 provisions, 15 of which had already been agreed upon. The remaining disagreements concerned mutual renunciation of international claims and the deployment of foreign representatives along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border.