[18] In February 1988, Armenians began protesting and staging workers' strikes in Yerevan, demanding unification with the enclave.

[21] On 10 March, Gorbachev stated that the borders between the republics would not change, in accordance with Article 78 of the Soviet constitution.

[22] Gorbachev said that several other regions in the Soviet Union were yearning for territorial changes and redrawing the boundaries in Karabakh would thus set a dangerous precedent.

The Armenians viewed the 1921 Kavburo decision with disdain and felt they were correcting a historical error through the principle of self-determination (a right also granted in the constitution).

[24] After independence from the Soviet Union, the newly created Republic of Armenia publicly denied any involvement in providing any weapons, fuel, food, or other logistics to secessionists in Nagorno-Karabakh.

[citation needed] The only land connection Armenia had with Karabakh was through the narrow, mountainous Lachin corridor which could only be reached by helicopters.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan called it "incredibly painful both for me and both for our people".

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that the international community had pressured Armenia to "lower the bar a bit" on Artsakh's status.

[27] In a unanimous resolution, the parliament of Artsakh demanded that Armenia "abandon their current disastrous position.