Resolution 2560 (2024)1Provisional version

The honouring of obligations and commitments by ArmeniaParliamentary Assembly

1. The Parliamentary Assembly commends Armenia for its continuous commitment to democraticdevelopment in spite of the considerable security challenges it is facing. Confronted with a complexinternational environment and challenges to the stability of the country, Armenia has been pursuing anambitious reform agenda.

2. The Assembly has been following the developments in the country since the adoption of its Resolution2427 (2022) “The functioning of democratic institutions in Armenia”. It refers to the Information Note (AS/Mon(2023)05rev) on the situation in the Lachin corridor and on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijanexamined by the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States of theCouncil of Europe (Monitoring Committee) in March 2023 which called for immediate action and the cessationof the unlawful and illegitimate obstruction of the Lachin corridor, and to its Resolution 2508 (2023) “Ensuringfree and safe access through the Lachin Corridor” in which it stressed that “the current situation is notsustainable and may well lead to the Armenian population being forced to leave their homes andcommunities”.

3. In September 2023, the Azerbaijani army entered the part of Nagorno-Karabakh remaining under theprotection of Russian peacekeeping troops. Fearing the consequences, the vast majority of the population ofthe region fled to Armenia in a matter of days. The Assembly recalls its Resolution 2517 (2023) andRecommendation 2260 (2023) “The humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh”, in which it stronglyregretted that almost the entire Armenian population of the region – more than 100 600 persons – had left itsancestral homeland and fled to Armenia, and called on Azerbaijan to release all detained representatives ofNagorno-Karabakh and all Armenian prisoners of war currently held in Azerbaijan. The Assembly also takesnote of the “Observations on the Human Rights Situation of People affected by the Conflict between Armeniaand Azerbaijan over the Karabakh region” issued in January 2024 by Dunja Mijatović, the then Council ofEurope Commissioner of Human Rights, in which she concluded that the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh“found themselves abandoned without any reliable security or protection guarantees by any party and that forthem at that moment leaving home was the only reasonable option available”.

4. The fate of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh has provoked extremely strong reactions inArmenia. Some protests organised by opposition parties calling for the resignation of Mr Pashinyan’sgovernment turned violent as protesters tried to storm the government buildings. The Assembly expresses itsrelief that clashes with the police forces during these events brought no casualties, in sharp contrast with the10 deaths that had occurred in March 2008, as deplored in Resolution 1837 (2011) which called, inter alia, forthe introduction of measures to avoid similar situations in the future.

5. The authorities of Armenia have remained engaged in the negotiations of a peace treaty withAzerbaijan, in accordance with their commitment to settle international disputes by peaceful means.Concerning the normalisation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Assembly expresses fullsupport for the peace process based on the principles of mutual recognition of territorial integrity, respect ofsovereignty, the inviolability of borders, and the non-use of force. The Assembly also welcomes the start of

1. Assembly debate on 26 June 2024 (20th sitting) (see Doc. 15994, report of the Committee on the Honouring ofObligations and Commitments by Member States of the Council of Europe (Monitoring Committee), co-rapporteurs:Mr Kimmo Kiljunen and Ms Boriana Åberg). Text adopted by the Assembly on 26 June 2024 (20th sitting).

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