John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

2020 has been a horrific year for many around the globe but, on top of the horsemen of pestilence and death, war has now raised its ugly head between Armenia and Azerbaijan, in the republic of Artsakh. The territory has been in a state of cold war for decades, and any peace has been fragile since the ceasefire in the early 1990s

Last year I had the honour of visiting Artsakh and saw the daily struggles that people in this area go through. The people of Artsakh are resilient and determined, but just like any peace-loving nation, they should not be fearing for their lives from cluster bombs over their cities.

I have spoken many times in this House of the aggression against Armenia. It is devastating that this has now turned into overt conflict. We must de-escalate this conflict now—not just the two countries on the ground, but more importantly, the other states on the periphery of this conflict who are encouraging it. Turkey must stop egging on Azerbaijan and escalating this conflict. Ongoing support from outside nations will only lead to more lives being lost. I applaud the statements of the Armenian Prime Minister calling for peace, and I would urge the Azeris to join Armenia around the negotiating table. While we must first stop this dreadful war, we must look towards a sustainable future where the people of Artsakh can live in peace and self-determination.