Former Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan, in a statement commemorating the thirty-second anniversary of the Republic of Artsakh, warns the government in Yerevan to refrain from “making dangerous statements about the fate of Artsakh behind the backs of Artsakh Armenians.”

Vardanyan says the Pashinyan administration’s attempts to reach a peace deal with Azerbaijan by recognizing Baku’s territorial control of Artsakh will not bring peace to Armenia.

“Armenia is facing the same ontological danger, because the theses that by handing over Artsakh, Armenia will get peace are false. Yesterday's provocation by Azerbaijan once again proves that Azerbaijan will not be satisfied with occupying Artsakh, their goals go much further,” Vardanyan writes, referring to clashes along the Armenian-Azerbaijan border.

Vardanyan writes that while the decision thirty-two years ago to proclaim the Republic of Artsakh wasn’t an easy one, the Armenians of Artsakh haven’t changed their decision.

“For them, no hunger and suffering, even death is as terrible as the loss of the motherland, freedom and dignity,” writes Vardanyan who was fired as state minister last February.

He called on Armenians globally to unite and thus “show the whole world that no Azeri oppression, no famine can force Armenians living in Artsakh to give up their right to live freely, independently and with dignity on their land.”