Artsakh residents cease street fighting as negotiations with   Armenian government prove to be ineffective 

ArmInfo. Artsakh residents have announced the end of street fighting for their rights due to the ineffectiveness of negotiations with the Armenian government. Artsakh  Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan made this statement in a conversation with  journalists on July 14 after negotiations that lasted over 4 hours.

The negotiations involved representatives of the Artsakh Human Rights  Council, the Ombudsman, and a group of citizens meeting with the head  of the Deputy Prime Minister's office, Arman Adilkhanyan.   Specifically, according to the human rights activist, the government  refused to continue paying the "40+10" thousand drams and to  implement significant changes to other programs. Stepanyan noted  that, as anticipated, the meeting did not yield any significant  results.

Stepanyan clarified that when it comes to revising the support  program for vulnerable groups, government representatives once again  limited themselves to promises. Additionally, the Artsakh Ombudsman  complained that during meetings with the government they receive the  same response every time: they believe that social assistance was not  suspended but rather became targeted. However, according to the human  rights activist, in fact, 50,000 people have lost this assistance,  putting them at risk of  homelessness.

He emphasized that the struggle should continue on international  platforms, including through negotiations with the OSCE Minsk Group  (during the rally outside the government building, signatures were  collected for an appeal to the OSCE Minsk Group - ed.). Stepanyan  also added that, although he understands that the people of Artsakh  are encouraged, he believes that they must realize that only they can  solve their problems. He expressed regret over the small number of  Artsakh residents at the rally on July 12.  Representatives of the  Artsakh People's Rights Council noted that further actions based on  the results of the negotiations would be announced at a later time.  However, the Council reported that they would stop the street  protests, leave the NKR representative office building and  consider  a new format of resistance.