European Parliament Resolution on the Situation in Soviet Armenia

Posted: November 16, 2015

The European Parliament,

A. having regard to the recent public demonstrations in Soviet Armenia demanding that the Nagorno-Karabagh region be reunited with the Republic of Armenia,

B. having regard historic status of the autonomous region of Nagorno-Karabagh (80% of whose present population is Armenian) as part of Armenia, to the arbitrary inclusion of this area within Azerbaijan in 1923 and to the massacre of Armenians in the Azerbaijani town of Sumgait in February 1988,

C. whereas the deteriorating political situation, which has led to anti-Armenian pogroms in Sumgait and serious acts of violence in Baku, is in itself a threat to the safety of the Armenians living in Azerbaijan.

1. Condemns the violence employed against Armenian demonstrators in Azerbaijan;
2. Supports the demand of the Armenian minority for reunification with the Socialist Republic of Armenia;
3. Calls on the Supreme Soviet to study the compromise proposals from the Armenian delegates in Moscow suggesting that NagornoKarabagh be temporarily governed by the central administration in Moscow, temporarily united to the Federation of Russia or temporarily placed under the authority of a “presidential regional government”;
4. Calls also upon the Soviet authorities to ensure the safety of the 500,000 Armenians currently living in Soviet Azerbaijan and to ensure that those found guilty of having incited or taken part in the pogroms against the Armenians are punished according to Soviet law;
5. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the Government of the Soviet Union.

(d) Joint resolution replacing Docs. B2-538 and 587 88

Source: Official journal of the European Communities,
No. C 94/117, July, 1988.