Ruling Armenian party condemns Azerbaijani aggression in statement: opposition refuses to support it

YEREVAN, September 13. /ARKA/. In a statement issued today Armenia's ruling Civil Contract party condemned Azerbaijan's aggression against Armenia's sovereign territory, expressing also full support for the country's armed forces in their hard struggle for territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Two opposition alliances in the parliament- Hayastan (Armenia) and Pativ Unem (I Have Honor) - refused to back the statement and walked out of the session hall.

The ruling party urged all political forces and citizens, regardless of their political views, to remain calm and united around their homeland.

'We call on the international community to strongly condemn the aggression unleashed by the military and political leadership of Azerbaijan against Armenia, in violation of territorial integrity and the principle of non-use of force and non-threat. We expect the UN Security Council to discuss the situation immediately and to implement measures stemming from the situation,' the statement says.

'We demand that the CSTO take immediate measures to protect the territorial integrity of Armenia. We ask also Russia to implement as soon as possible the obligations laid down in the Armenian-Russian Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance to protect the territorial integrity of Armenia,' it reads.

Earlier on Tuesday, the opposition presented its paragraphs of a statement on Azerbaijani aggression rejected by the ruling party. These paragraphs read as follows.

1. Azerbaijan continues its policy of using force after the 44-day war, whose anti-Armenian goals are enshrined in the Sushi Declaration, which is unacceptable to us.

2. We record a complete failure in our foreign policy and army reconstruction.

3. The hostilities have finally exposed the "bankruptcy" of the so-called "peace era" policy of the ruling party.

4. The National Assembly believes that negotiations with Azerbaijan are possible only if Azerbaijani forces completely withdraw from sovereign Armenian territory and return prisoners of war and other illegally detained persons. -0-