Summary: Non-signatory Armenia says it cannot accede to the convention until its dispute with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied territories is resolved. Armenia has participated in several meetings of the convention, but not since 2014. Armenia again abstained from the vote on a key United Nations (UN) resolution promoting the convention in December 2018.

Armenia reported in 2012 that it does not produce, export, stockpile, or use cluster munitions, and has no intent to do so. There is credible evidence that cluster munitions were used in Nagorno-Karabakh in April 2016, but Armenia denied using the weapons and accused Azerbaijan of using them.

Policy

The Republic of Armenia has not acceded to the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Armenia has consistently stated that it cannot consider joining the convention unless Azerbaijan also does so and until a settlement to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is reached. [1] Nagorno-Karabakh is claimed by Azerbaijan but under the control of a breakaway governing authority. Armenia has provided this information to States Parties on several occasions, most recently in 2014. [2]

Armenia did not participate in the Oslo Process that created the Convention on Cluster Munitions. [3]

Armenia participated as an observer in some of the convention’s Meetings of States Parties, but not since 2014. [4]

In December 2018, Armenia abstained from the vote on a UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution that calls on states outside the Convention on Cluster Munitions to “join as soon as possible.” [5] It has repeatedly abstained from voting on this annual UNGA resolution, which was first introduced in 2015.

Armenia has expressed concern at use of cluster munitions, describing it as “a grave violation” of international humanitarian law. [6]

Armenia has not joined the Mine Ban Treaty or the Convention on Conventional Weapons.

Use, production, transfer, and stockpiling

Since 2012, Armenia stated several times that it does not produce, export, stockpile, or use cluster munitions, and does not intend to do so. [7] According to independent arms trade research organizations and local media, Armenia acquired six BM-30 Smerch multi-barrel rocket launchers from Russia in 2016 and 2017, but it’s not known if the deal included cluster munition rockets. [8]

Cluster munition contamination has been identified in Nagorno-Karabakh, from the 1988–1994 conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia. [9] There are reports of contamination in other parts of occupied Azerbaijan, adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh, which are under the control of Armenian forces. [10]

There is evidence that at least two types of ground-fired cluster munition rockets were used in Nagorno-Karabakh during the first week of April 2016, during fighting across the line of contact separating local Armenian-backed separatists and Azerbaijani forces. A spokesperson from Armenia’s Ministry of Defense issued photographs showing the remnants of 300mm Smerch cluster munition rockets that he claimed Azerbaijan fired into Nagorno-Karabakh. The article stated that Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh “do not possess weaponry of this kind.” [11]

Cluster Munition Monitor was not able to conduct an independent investigation to make a conclusive determination about responsibility for this cluster munition use.

(See the separate profile on Nagorno-Karabakh.)