Speech at the UNSC

Armenia’s Foreign Minister, Ararat Mirzoyan, yesterday gave a speech to the United Nations Security Council. His initial speech lasted approximately 14 minutes, and has several key portions.

Namely, he requested that a UN Peacekeeping force be deployed to the region of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) in order to maintain the security of the populace, to open the Lachin corridor in order to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid, as well as to assist in the return of those who have been displaced by the present military actions as well as the 2020 44-Day war, from which thousands still remain displaced 3 years later.

The FM was openly critical of prior UN inaction on the matter. He cited several previous Armenian calls for assistance on the issue both of Artsakh as well as Azeri military action against Armenia itself. The FM accused the UN of being “skeptical” of Armenian claims that Azeri military action was imminent (citing the weeks long buildup of Azeri military forces along the border with Artsakh), and of failure to enforce the two binding resolutions the ICC made demanding Azerbaijan open the Lachin corridor.

The FM’s full speech may be seen below.

"Armenia proposes UN-mandated peacekeeping forces in Nagorno Karabakh, which will maintain peace and security in Karabakh", Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan announced this at the UN Security Council.#Armenia #Azerbaijan #NagornoKarabakh #Karabakh #Artsakh #UN… pic.twitter.com/2a85QdXHJa

— Robert Ananyan (@robananyan) September 21, 2023

Azeri Telegram Bounties

The FM also brought to light the widespread circulation of threats on Azeri-aligned telegrams. A number of Azeri telegrams have been sharing photos of Armenian women, and children, within Artsakh that have gone missing. The photos come alongside threats to rape, dismember, and capture them. In a couple of the photos people have posted bounties to capture women or retrieve ears from some of the children.

Further Asks

Furthermore, the FM also asked that Azeri military forces not be permitted within civilian areas in order to reduce civilian panic and any potential escalation. He also asked that no legal punitive action be taken against military and political officials of Artsakh, alongside that an international mechanism be established to permit future negotiations on the Azeri takeover of Artsakh.

The full summary of the FM’s speech, along with all of his asks of the UNSC, was posted on twitter and may be read below.

Foreign Minister of #Armenia??@AraratMirzoyan at @UN Security Council emergency meeting on situation in #NagornoKarabakh on 21.09.23: “Time & again, I appeal to Security Council to demonstrate its credibility & reputation by undertaking following urgent measures: pic.twitter.com/Unxq5fwJIr

— MFA of Armenia?? (@MFAofArmenia) September 22, 2023

Following his speech was the speech of the Azeri FM, Jeyhun Bayramov.  During the Azeri FM’s speech, FM Mirzoyan got up and left the UNSC chamber.