An estimated 40,000 Artsakh residents gathered in Stepanakert’s Rebirth Square on Sunday to collectively reject efforts to undermine Artsakh’s sovereignty and unequivocally refuse to live under Azerbaijani rule. This was the largest rally in Stepanakert since hundreds of thousands Karabakh residents flooded the streets of the Artsakh capital in 1988 demanding reunification with Armenia.

The protesters, which made up over 33.3 percent of Artsakh’s population, gathered as the Artsakh parliament met in an emergency session, during which it unanimously adopted a declaration https://asbarez.com/artsakh-parliament-reject-any-proposal-questioning-artsakhs-sovereignty/ expressing the will of the people of Artsakh that rejects attempts to erase Artsakh’s sovereignty and might force Artsakh to be part of Azerbaijan.

The massive protest in Stepanakert comes a day before Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is scheduled to meet the presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia, Ilham Aliyev and Vladimir Putin, in Sochi, where a document may be signed to advance a process of peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The European Union and the United States have stepped up their efforts recently to advance a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Meeting with President Emmanuel Macron of France and the EU Chief Charles Michel on October 6 in Prague, Pashinyan and Aliyev agreed that Armenia and Azerbaijan would respect each other’s borders, calling into question Artsakh’s future and its more than three-decade-long struggle to advance and protect its independence.

Pashinyan’s ruling Civil Contract party on Saturday adopted a new platform, in which it is abandoning efforts to resolve the Karabakh conflict and determine a final status, opting instead to advocate for the security of the people of Artsakh—an about face from its position mere months ago when government officials and Pashinyan’s loyalists were insisting on the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ intervention to settle the Karabakh conflict.

During the rally Stepanakert on Sunday, lawmaker Areg Avakyan presented the National Assembly declaration, which received the overwhelming support of participants.

“Artsakh has never been and will never be part of independent Azerbaijan. This very idea should be the basis for the settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict,” said the declaration. “Any attempt to forcibly annex Artsakh to Azerbaijan would be a gross violation of international law and an official license to commit another genocide against the Armenian people, therefore any document with such a content is unacceptable for the Republic of Artsakh.”

“No authority in the Republic of Armenia has the right to refuse the mission to ensure the security of the people of Artsakh or to accept any document questioning the existence of the sovereign Republic of Artsakh. We urge the authorities of the Republic of Armenia to defend the common interests of the two Armenian Republics at international platforms, based on the existing fundamental documents, in particular, the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Armenia and the historic decision of the Supreme Council of July 8, 1992,” added the declaration, which also called on Armenians around the world to rally behind Artsakh’s right to self-determination and independence.

“Today’s extraordinary session of the National Assembly and the rally held in Revival Square, just like in 1988, will prove our determination in this matter. We should talk about the most important issues: what was the movement for; the national liberation struggle; what milestone have we reached; what is the situation after the 44-day war?” said Arthur Mossiyan the leader of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation faction in parliament. “No one has cancelled the fundamental right of free self-determination of nations.”

Mossiyan added that the people of Artsakh have chosen the path to realize their right to self-determination, from which they will not deviate, and the rally loudly is echoing that message to the international community.

“Any settlement option that would consider the annexation of Artsakh to Azerbaijan, in any capacity, is definitely unacceptable for the Artsakh Armenians,” added Mossiyan.

Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan was joined by his predecessors Bako Sahakian and Arkady Ghukassian

Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan was joined by his predecessors Bako Sahakian and Arkady Ghukassian, along with current and former Artsakh authorities, at the rally.

In a statement issued on Saturday, President Harutyunyan warned against any agreement that would “legitimize” the aggression against Artsakh by Azerbaijan and its allies. He also rejected any effort to curtail Artsakh’s right to self-determination and compromise its sovereignty.

During his address at the rally, Artsakh Foreign Minister David Babayan said the people of Artsakh will reject any document that would consider Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan.