YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. On 19-24 April, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Artsakh to the United States Robert Avetisyan participated in a series of events dedicated to the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, including at the US Congress, the Massachusetts Legislature, the Armenian Embassy in the United States, and New York's Times Square, ARMENPRESS was informed from the Foreign Ministry of Artsakh.

In his address, the Permanent Representative of Artsakh expressed gratitude to the United States and all those countries that saved many Armenian lives through diplomacy and humanitarian programmes during those difficult times.

He noted that the evil of genocide is also present in the 21st century, a striking manifestation of which is the large-scale war unleashed by Azerbaijan in 2020 against the newly established democracy of Artsakh with the support of Turkey and terrorist organisations from the Middle East and accompanied by war crimes and gross violations of international humanitarian law.

Robert Avetisyan also spoke about the terrorist policy pursued by Azerbaijan against the people of Artsakh, in particular, Azerbaijan’s blockade of Artsakh, which has been ongoing for almost five months, the deliberate disruptions of natural gas and electricity supplied to Artsakh from Armenia.

“The blockade of Artsakh has a clear genocidal intention, the perpetrators want the indigenous Armenian population of Artsakh to face a dilemma: either leave their historical homeland, or stay and die from hunger, cold and disease,” said Robert Avetisyan.

In this context, the Permanent Representative of Artsakh highlighted the importance of adequate action by the international community aimed at preventing new genocides.

“The Armenian Genocide began in 1915, but unfortunately it is not over yet. We have to fight it together. Geopolitical or mercantile interests have no place when it comes to fundamental human rights and protection from genocides, fascism or aggressive expansionism,” said the Permanent Representative of Artsakh.