The "Tashnag" Party expressed that they received with utmost astonishment and dismay the statements made by Labor Minister in the caretaker government, Mustafa Beyram, during the Islamic countries' labor ministers conference held in Baku. The minister made an inappropriate comparison between the resistance in Lebanon and what he called "Azerbaijani resistance."
In a statement, they emphasized that "Azerbaijan's short history is filled with occupation, massacres, and ethnic cleansing, and Azerbaijan has never been a resistant country, but rather a state that engages in occupation. In light of its aggression, the Armenian people resorted to self-defense and struggle for liberation."
The party highlighted that "the minister should have taken into account the statements of the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which emphasized the need to respect the rights of the Artsakh people. Beyram ignored the positions of Lebanese delegations to Islamic conferences, which refrained from supporting Azerbaijani drafts that are contrary to the facts."
They noted that "after we expressed our discontent to Beyram and the political forces he represents and demanded clarification, the minister stated on social media that he did not make any anti-Armenian statements, but rather extended greetings to the Azerbaijanis who were killed during the resistance against the Soviet Army."
The statement also emphasized that "the Labor Minister represents a political bloc that has a natural relationship with the 'Tashnag' Party, extending to cooperation on various national issues. We hope that the minister's position does not reflect the stance of the political force he represents."
The "Tashnag" Party insisted on "the necessity for political forces and official figures to consider the sentiments of one of the essential sects in the Lebanese fabric, alongside the ongoing suffering of the Armenian people and the infringement of their rights, especially since official positions on this matter are clear." They announced, "We await further clarification from the Labor Minister regarding the circumstances and details related to his controversial statements, which we reject."
