Azerbaijan’s briefing on landmines at UN interrupted by Armenian delegate — swift response delivered

An Armenian diplomat attempted to disrupt Azerbaijan’s briefing on the landmine issue at the UN headquarters in New York but was met with a strong response, Farid Shafiyev, Chairman of the Management Board of the Center for the Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center), told Report.

Shafiyev refuted Armenia’s claims that Azerbaijan is politicizing the landmine issue, stating that the facts prove otherwise. He highlighted that hundreds of thousands of mines have been planted in Azerbaijani territory, with the vast majority laid by Armenia.

“The extent of landmine contamination is a serious concern, and Azerbaijan is taking active steps to bring this issue to the attention of the global community,” Shafiyev said. He noted that representatives from the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) are currently working in Washington to raise awareness about the problem. “The main goal is to ensure the international community understands the scale of the challenge,” he added.

During the briefing, several countries, including Nicaragua, Pakistan, Türkiye, and Italy, openly expressed their support for Azerbaijan’s position. Meanwhile, the Armenian side attempted countermeasures, but their representative was met with a substantive rebuttal.

Shafiyev also shared that Azerbaijan plans to establish an International Center of Excellence and Training for Demining, emphasizing its role in advancing mine-clearance efforts. “In my speech, I introduced this initiative, which aims to apply cutting-edge technologies in demining operations,” he stated.

He explained that the expertise gained in clearing Azerbaijani lands will be shared with countries across Africa, Asia, and other regions to support their demining efforts. UN institutions and private donors, particularly from the US, are actively involved in funding mine-detection operations, including the acquisition of mine-detecting dogs. Initially, these activities will be carried out within Azerbaijan before expanding internationally.

Regarding demining efforts, Shafiyev stated that Azerbaijan currently conducts 94% of mine clearance operations using its own resources, with only 6% coming from international support. He pointed out that, compared to Cambodia and Colombia, international assistance for Azerbaijan remains limited. “We require support in technical equipment, training, and mine-detecting dogs, yet we continue to face double standards,” he said.

Shafiyev also criticized the European Union’s financial assistance to Armenia, calling it a clear example of double standards. “Armenia has not experienced a large-scale conflict within its territory, whereas the destruction and landmine threat exist entirely in Azerbaijan,” he said.

Despite these challenges, Shafiyev affirmed that Azerbaijan is determined to resolve the problem, ensuring the safe return of internally displaced persons to their homeland. “This process requires time, but we have the will and resources to succeed,” he concluded.