Mammadyarov: Armenia committs provocative acts to prevent any progress in Karabakh settlement

Baku. 27 December. REPORT.AZ/ Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov highlighted the results of 2016.

Instead of carrying out goodwill negotiations, Armenia clearly disrupts all attempts aimed at the peaceful settlement of the conflict.

Report informs referring to AZERTAC, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister said characterizing the negotiations process on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. 

"Ignoring the demands of the resolutions of the U.N. Security Council and flagrantly violating the international law, Armenia refuses to withdraw its troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, impedes the return of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis who became refugees and IDPs as a result of bloody ethnic cleansing to their native lands, and by changing the physical, demographic and cultural character of the occupied territories attempts to further strengthen the current status-quo.

To prevent from achieving any progresses in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Armenian side has always committed provocative-sabotage acts. Right after the Paris meeting of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia in late 2014, Armenia launched large-scale military exercises in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, with the involvement of more than 40,000 personnel and by escalating the situation instigated the well-known helicopter incident. Although the concrete plans on the settlement of the conflict were discussed during 2015 and early 2016, the Armenian side adopted a new offensive military doctrine and subjecting to attacks by heavy weapons the densely populated areas along the line of contact, as well as schools, hospitals and places of worship on April 2, caused the well-known April events. As a result of irresponsible attacks of Armenia, 6 persons including children were killed and 33 persons were severely wounded.

The armed forces of Azerbaijan were obliged to take counter-measures and as a result of which succeeded to liberate some of strategically important positions from the occupation. During the April events Azerbaijan showcased its military-diplomatic superiority. The results of consistent activities to withstand the information war of Armenia were also obvious. Since the start of escalation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs periodically issuing statements has informed the international community about the provocative actions of Armenia. The world’s leading news agencies quoted Foreign Ministry’s statements, the visits of foreign media representatives and diplomatic corps to the contact line of troops were also organized. In conjunction with state bodies Azerbaijan was able to deliver the truth to the world; the diplomatic missions and consulates of our country were also closely involved into this process and informed the officials and public of the countries they were accredited to. It was a positive sign that numerous articles reflecting our country’s fair position in the world's prestigious media outlets were published, photos and video interviews were aired.

The international community once again witnessed that maintaining the current status-quo and the presence of the armed forces of Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan is the main cause of escalation in the conflict zone and remains the major impediment to the political settlement of the conflict. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group at the level of heads of state have repeatedly issued statements on the unacceptability and unsustainability of the current status-quo. Azerbaijan is the most interested party in moving beyond the current status-quo. In this context, we assess the high-level substantive discussions in Vienna and St. Petersburg as positive steps in the right direction. We must sustain the momentum and transform the understandings reached in those meetings into concrete actions without further delay."

"The substantial concrete results in the political arena will fundamentally change the situation. A step-by-step elimination of the consequences of the conflict, starting with withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, restoration of regional transportation and communication links and safe and dignified return of displaced persons to their places of origin, while addressing security concerns appropriately, will transform the conflict dynamics and significantly improve the overall security environment in the whole region. This approach is based on the relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions and affirmed in the decisions of the OSCE, notably in the Budapest Summit decision of 1994.

The aggressive policy of Armenia can never succeed. The sooner Armenia understands this reality and withdraws its troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, the sooner the conflict will be settled, also Armenia and its population would be able to benefit from the perspectives of cooperation, as well as the economic development.

As it was noted in the last statement of foreign ministers of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries, the Azerbaijani side together with the co-chairs will continue its efforts on the settlement of the conflict through substantive negotiations. At the same time, all available opportunities existing within the international platforms will be utilized for this purpose.