Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan issued the following message today marking the 35th anniversary of the "Karabakh Movement" that sought the transfer of the majority Armenian populated Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast  (NKAO) of Azerbaijan to the jurisdiction of Armenia.

Thirty-five years ago, the Karabakh Movement began. The spontaneous and mass protests which began on February 20 in 1988 will remain as the symbol of national awakening, unity and the liberation struggle.

The movement became the first step in our statehood’s restoration, through which we regained the determination to live freely and independently, to build our destiny and oversee our future.

The Karabakh Movement was for the Artsakh people to protect their rights and express their right and will to live a dignified life on their own land.

Thirty-five years on, the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh still face the most serious challenges. Under blockade, our compatriots today are again forced to express their will to protect their rights and security. As I’ve numerously said, these actions by Azerbaijan have one goal – to break the will of the population of Nagorno Karabakh to live in their own homeland, which, however, I am convinced is unbreakable and unwavering.

Dear compatriots,

We continue to multiply our efforts in direction of focusing the international attention on the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno Karabakh, because it is only the unabated activeness of the international community that is the option to suppress Azerbaijan’s aggressiveness and provocative conduct, for the complete implementation of its obligations under the 9 November 2020 trilateral statement and unblocking of the Lachin corridor.

At the same time, we will continue our consistent steps directed at solving the socio-economic problems of the Armenians of Artsakh, overcoming security challenges, and the development of mechanisms for the protection of the rights and security of the Armenians of Artsakh. The implementation of these goals requires selfless work, and we must be unwavering in this work.

Dear people of Artsakh,

Be strong and unbreakable for the sake of a peaceful and safe life in your homeland. In the face of new global and regional challenges, we must focus our powers on realizing the peace agenda, as much as we realize the difficulties and problems that await us on that path. By and large, the substantial goal of the Karabakh movement was the peaceful, dignified, and safe life, and we must head towards that goal.