​Azerbaijani President: International community shows selective approach to similar events in different places

Baku. 22 February. REPORT.AZ/ "In the early 1990s as the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan resulted in 20% occupation of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, our people were subjected to ethnic cleansing, more than one million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced persons. All economic and social infrastructure and cultural monuments, including mosques were destroyed in the occupied territories."

Report informs, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has said in his interview with IRIB, answering to the question on how he assessed activity of teh OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and what his opinion was on taking advantage of Islamic and regional countries' opportunities to resolve the conflict.

Azerbaijani President said: "Armenia refuses to abide the resolutions and decisions of the world's leading organizations, including the United Nations, which are demanding liberation of the occupied lands. Unfortunately, to date, the international community has not imposed any real mechanism of action against Armenia within the framework of the principles and norms of international law in order to achieve a solution. The OSCE Minsk Group formed for resolving this conflict, has not shown any results so far. We can surely say that the fact of occupation which lasted for more than 20 years gives impression if double standards in the world policy.

Facts prove that international community shows selective approach to similar events in different places of the world. In some cases, in addition to sharply reprobating occupation, seriously affecting mechanisms are developed for resolution of the problem and applied in a short period. Unfortunately, as for Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, passive approach is being observed and parties to the conflict - both occupier and the party that underwent occupation are demonstrated same attitude. This injustice comes forward from different approach towards Azerbaijan - religious discrimination for being a Muslim country. We cannot understand such an open disrespect towards international law and attempt to obviously justify aggression policy.'

Azerbaijani President expressed that Islamic countries, including Iran have sustainably supported territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in the framework of both international organizations and in bilateral context: 'We appreciate it as a sign of brotherhood, as well as friendly relations both between our countries and Iran's attitude towards rule of international law.

Many decisions and resolutions of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) condemned Armenia's occupation policy and required to put an end to the occupation. We support all efforts as well as offers and initiatives of Islamic and regional countries aimed at fair resolution of Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the framework of international legal norms and principles and highly appreciate it. We believe in more further active support for fair resolution of the conflict.'

Notably, President Ilham Aliyev will pay an official visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) on February 23.