Nagorno Garabagh

“The statements voiced in recent days by Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and the so-called representatives of the illegal regime established by this country on Azerbaijan’s occupied territories demonstrated once again the actual trait of Armenia. The creation of false appearance by Armenia hiding behind the curtain of negotiations, its attempt to gain time and its policy to strengthen the existing status-quo based on the occupation have been once again revealed to the whole world”, said in a statement Tural Ganjaliyev, head of the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno Karabagh region of the Azerbaijan Republic, APA reports.

It is noted in the statement that the rejection by Armenia of the phased solution option supported by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs mediating in settlement of the conflict completely destroys the negotiations process.

“As is well-known, some time ago Armenia’s prime minister said the Madrid principles didn’t exist for them. All these are also an obvious disrespect towards OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.

On behalf of the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno Garabagh region of Azerbaijan, we call on the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to express their decisive position on the latest actions of Armenia contradicting with the fundamental principles of the negotiations process."

We bring to your attention that following position of the Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno Garabagh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan regarding the recent occurrences:

1. Sides of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict are Armenia and Azerbaijan. Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno Garabagh region of Azerbaijan are interested parties of the conflict with equal rights as identified by the Council of Ministers of the CSCE (currently OSCE) in Helsinki in 1992. Meetings, held, and statements, sounded by the OSCE Minsk Group during their visits to the region during 2019, confirm it once more.

2. It is not possible to change the format of the negotiations, accepted by all. Attempting to change it is a provocation and damages the negotiation process.

3. When it comes to the security issue, claimed by Armenia, it should be noted that in fact, the greatest threat for security is the existence of Armenian Armed Forces in occupied Azerbaijani territories. Their attempts, aimed at justification for their invasion of internationally-recognized Azerbaijani territories under the cover of self-determination do not have results and are nothing but self-deception. As the world community, international organizations, firstly the resolutions of the UN Security Council require, Armenian Armed Forces should leave Azerbaijani territories, and Azerbaijani people, dismissed from these territories, should return their native lands.

4. The illegal regime in occupied territories of Azerbaijan is a so-called tool controlled by Armenia and used for covering the invasion. Attitude to the last so-called “elections” showed once again that the international community does not recognize the illegal regime. Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, international organizations such as the Non-Alignment Movement, the European Union, the NATO, different countries have clearly expressed their position.

5. Armenia uses the situation which was gained by occupation and ethnic cleansing for its own purposes, denies the existence of the Azerbaijani community of the Nagorno-Garabagh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan and leaves unanswered the community's calls for peace and coexistence. So, Armenia destroys the prospects for resolving the conflict through negotiations. It is impossible to talk about security in the condition of the inability of return of the Azerbaijani community to their home which makes up 3/1 of the population of Nagorno Garabagh. Therefore, one of the most important conditions of security is the return of the Azerbaijani community to their native lands.

6. Armenia’s and the so-called regime’s threaten Azerbaijan is nothing but an empty illusion. The counter-offensive measures implemented by Armed Forces of Azerbaijan In April 2016 as a response to such provocations of Armenia in order to ensure the security of civilians living on the line of contact proves this.

7. The continuation of occupation by Armenia does not strengthen its and region’s security, on the contrary, it puts it under the serious blow. And Armenia will be responsible for all of it. Azerbaijani community of the Nagorno Garabagh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan declares once again its readiness to live together peacefully with the Armenian community within the framework of the internationally recognized borders of our country,” the statement reads.