Baku. Ramiz Mikayiloglu – APA. A panel session on “Coexistence of Azerbaijanis and Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh: restoration of communications, investing in social and economic programs” was organized in Baku Nov. 8 within the framework of the international conference titled “Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: main obstacles and prospects of the settlement. View from Armenia and Azerbaijan.”
The panel session was moderated by Elkhan Asgarov, director of the International Centre for political and security affairs.
Asgarov noted that Azerbaijanis live peacefully together with Armenians in Turkey, Russia and Iran.
“Why can’t they co-exist in Nagorno-Karabakh? Because, the current regime in Armenia stands against it,” he said, adding that a museum director, who wanted to live in peace in Nagorno-Karabakh, was killed.
Asgarov also stressed that the Armenian authorities, by exerting pressures, prevented journalist Susan Chaginyan, who is also deputy chairman of Meridian NGO, from arriving in Azerbaijan.
“Azerbaijanis and Armenians can co-exist again as they did for centuries. The two communities were separated, the conflict arose after Zori Balayan's book “Ojag” (The Hearth) was published,” he added.
In his speech, MP Rovshan Rzayev, who is a member of the “Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh” Public Union, said today most of the people think about peace, but not about war.
The MP expressed hope for the normalization of relations between the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh.
“Armenian civilians don’t think that they can’t live together with the Azerbaijanis. We have good friendship,” Rzayev said, adding. “Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that the status of an autonomous republic can be granted to Nagorno-Karabakh. There can be no compromise on the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.”
The MP stressed that the liberation of seven occupied districts adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh will be a significant step towards peace.
“Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh should be aware that if we live together, they will be able to enjoy all the opportunities in Azerbaijan. We should try to continue holding such events. We don’t say that we will become friends from the first meeting. We should take steps to achieve friendship and peace. There was a problem regarding three Armenians’ identity cards, they appealed to court and the issue was solved. This is the attitude of the Azerbaijani government towards its citizens and is an example of coexistence,” he added.
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