ANCC Statement on Azerbaijan’s Latest Attacks on Armenia

(OTTAWA – November 17, 2021) – Today, the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) issued the following statement, regarding Azerbaijan’s unsanctioned attack against the Republic of Armenia on November 16, 2021.

“On November 16, 2021, units of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces attacked in the direction of the eastern border of the Republic of Armenia, in the southern province of Syunik, following months of tensions and unending threats from Azerbaijani dictator Ilham Aliyev.

“This pre-planned aggression has become a part of a continuing pattern since May 2021, when Azerbaijan first invaded the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia. The latest attacks resulted in a significant number of casualties and additional prisoners of war and marked the largest violation of the fragile ceasefire regime that was reached after last year’s 44-day war against the Republic of Artsakh.

“Emboldened by the results of last year’s aggression against Artsakh and the largely indifferent reactions of the global community, Azerbaijan is resorting to the use of force as its normal medium of negotiation with Armenia – while Armenia continues to peacefully observe the conditions of the November 9, 2021 ceasefire announcement.

“Such a behaviour is utterly unacceptable and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Azerbaijan’s unchecked aggression and the international community’s brazen tolerance of it, is the single largest threat to peace and stability in the South Caucasus and the wider region.

“Once and for all, Canada and the rest of the world must understand that for multilateralism to work, it must employ a single standard and be firm and principled in its positions, regardless of the nature of the conflicts it is dealing with and the parties that are involved in it.

“We specifically call on Canada to refrain from equating Armenia and Azerbaijan, be clear and straightforward in its official statements and take decisive action to demonstrate Canada’s support to Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

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The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Armenian-Canadian grassroots human rights organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances the concerns of the Armenian-Canadian community on a broad range of issues and works to eliminate abuses of human rights throughout Canada and the world.