Mirzoyan: ethnic cleansing not a distant horror

PanARMENIAN.Net - Ethnic cleansing is no longer a distant nightmare but a tragic reality Armenians have personally experienced, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated during the opening of the Yerevan Dialogue 2025 international conference.

“The world is undergoing seismic geopolitical, economic, technological, and climate shifts. In this turbulence, nations are losing their compass. The only certainty about these changes is that the path they are shaping—and the destination—remains an immense unknown.

In recent years, we have often spoken of uncertainty and events no one thought possible after World War II. The once-stable foundations of the international order have been seriously undermined. Principles of international law, including territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders—once seen as sacrosanct—now appear reduced to hollow declarations. These words, written in charters and proclamations, often prove ineffective.

We are witnessing profound humanitarian crises. Hunger is ravaging communities, supply chains are disrupted, and the shadows of terrorism, hate speech, and intolerance threaten the core of human dignity and coexistence. Ethnic cleansing is no longer a distant terror. It is happening before our eyes, and we have seen it directly at our borders,” Mirzoyan stated.

He added that Armenia has chosen a clear path forward—one focused on overcoming divisions, promoting cooperation, enhancing connectivity, ensuring sustainable economic progress, nurturing innovation and resilience, deepening democratic institutions, and upholding the rule of law, all while prioritizing the development of human capital.

On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan launched a large-scale assault on Nagorno-Karabakh, subjecting the region to heavy bombardment. The next day, Artsakh authorities accepted a ceasefire proposal by Russian peacekeepers, agreeing to Baku’s terms, including the disarmament of local forces and the dissolution of the Republic of Artsakh. By September 24, over 100,000 Armenians were forcibly displaced to Armenia. As of late September, only about 20 Armenians reportedly remained in Artsakh. On September 28, President Samvel Shahramanyan signed a decree dissolving the Republic, effective January 1, 2024.