STEPANAKERT—The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Artsakh Central Committee, issued an announced Wednesday, on the eve of the June 24 meeting in Kazan between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan mediate by Russia to discuss the Karabakh-Azerbaijan conflict.

The ARF Artsakh Central Committee:

Commends the efforts of the OSCE Minsk group co-chairs in peace-keeping throughout negotiations over the conflict;

Welcomes the three lead principles of international law put forth by the negotiation process—the end to use of force, right to self-determination and territorial integrity—and that decisions have not been take on the said principles without the inclusion of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in the negotiation process;

Commends the role of the Republic of Armenia in the negotiation process, especially as the security guarantor of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic;

Realizes that the international recognition of the de facto Nagorno-Karabakh Republic as an autonomous and independent state, will lead to the establishment of stable peace in the region, which was proven with the international recognition of Kosovo, Abkhazia and South-Ossetia;

Finds unacceptable the deployment of international peacekeeping forces in the conflict zone, and considers that as direct interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign independent state;

Finds unacceptable any move to backtrack from real peace guarantees, which have been maintained and preserved for 17 years;

Is convinced that without the full participation of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic as a side to the conflict in the Karabakh-Azerbaijan conflict resolution process it will be impossible to register advances, and the already breached negotiation process cannot present a complete and lasting solution;

The expression of the free will by the people of Artsakh through referenda must become the basis for the negotiation process and a priority;

Finds it imperative that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen—and other mediating entities—must focus not on the consequences of the Karabakh-Azerbaijan conflict, but rather work toward putting an end to the basic reasons that lead to war, which have not, until now, been discussed in the peace process;

Believes that the people of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, just like all the people in the world, have the right to determine their own fate—the future of their country;

Is convinced that victory for the just struggle for rights is envisioned, and the effort for recognition of the independence of our state is irreversible;

Based on the aforementioned, the ARF Artsakh Central Committee:

a. Reaffirms its resolve to bring the Artsakh liberation struggle to its final stage; and
b. Calls on the co-chairmen and mediators to refrain from taking steps that will endanger the current balance and peace.