On September 9, the de-facto Parliament of the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic elected Samvel Shahramanyan as president. Notably, Arayik Harutyunyan, the former leader of the separatist Karabakh, resigned from the position of president on August 31. 

Response from Azerbaijan and Armenia

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reported that the illegal activity of the so-called regime created in the Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan as a result of the occupation of Armenia under the name of presidential elections is a gross violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, laws and norms and principles of international law.

"The so-called separatist regime established in the territories of Azerbaijan is the result of the policy of aggression and ethnic cleansing that continued for nearly 30 years. The steps taken by this regime, which was created in the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan and tries to continue its existence thanks to the military, political, financial, and other support of Armenia, have no legal force," the report added.

"Holding the so-called 'elections' once again clearly shows that Armenia and the so-called regime created by it, which took steps to maintain the status quo and continue its occupation policy, are not really interested in the peace process and, on the contrary, have taken the path of provocation and escalating the situation," it said.

"Armenia should stop its unnecessary attempts to deceive its people and the international community, put an end to the claims against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, constructively participate in the normalization process and comply with its international obligations. Armenia's obstruction of the dialogue with the ethnic Armenians living in its sovereign territory of Azerbaijan is a gross interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, an attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country," the ministry added.

"The Republic of Azerbaijan urges all members of the international community, in accordance with their obligations arising from international law, to give a correct political assessment of the steps directed against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, to take effective measures to prevent Armenia from taking steps that endanger the fragile normalization efforts in the region and to strongly condemn the illegal activities called 'elections,'" the information noted.

Armenia has not yet reacted to the issue. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia issued a statement saying that Armenia continues to be committed to resolving all unresolved issues with Azerbaijan through political and diplomatic means. "What is said about Armenia preparing provocations is completely unfounded. Armenia has no intention of escalating the situation, on the contrary, we are ready to discuss the mechanisms we proposed earlier for de-escalation. We invite the attention of all partners interested in stability in the region to the fact that the Republic of Armenia is ready to resume discussions with Azerbaijan as soon as possible," the document stated.

International reactions

On September 11, US State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller stated: “We do not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent and sovereign state, and therefore, we do not recognize the results of the so-called presidential elections that were announced over the last few days.”

European Union Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Nabila Massrali noted that taking into account the so-called elections held in Nagorno-Karabakh on September 9, the European Union once again declares that it does not recognize the constitutional and legal framework in which the elections were held. The EU also stated that it is important for Karabakh Armenians to unite around a leadership capable and ready to conduct result-oriented discussions with official Baku and is committed to supporting this process.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey issued a statement that condemned the election held when Azerbaijan and Armenia tried to continue peace talks. It said it was a blow to the peace process. "The elections held in the lands under the control of illegal Armenian forces in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan are a new manifestation of attempts to unilaterally legitimize the current situation in the region, which is contrary to international law. This step is a clear violation of international law, including UN Security Council resolutions and OSCE principles," the statement said. Turkey urged the UN and the international community not to recognize the illegitimate election and also stressed that it supports the process of peace negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and believes that the signing of a durable peace agreement soon will significantly contribute to peace and stability in the region.

Moreover, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova issued a similar statement, noting that it does not recognize the presidential elections held in the Karabakh region and reaffirms Moldova's strong support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within the internationally recognized borders.

British Ambassador to Azerbaijan Fergus Auld X (former Twitter) said on his social network that Britain does not recognize the so-called elections held in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. "We emphasize the importance of the principles and norms of international law and support Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the ambassador noted.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan said that Pakistan recognizes Karabakh as the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan. "Such an attempt is also a gross violation of the UN Charter and the principles of existing international law," the Pakistani ministry added.

The statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia stated that Georgia supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan and does not recognize the so-called presidential elections held in Karabakh on September 9.