FM Mammadyarov: Armenia distorts essence of talks on Karabakh conflict
Armenia has once again distorted the essence of negotiation process on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in a way convenient for itself.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov announced about it while talking to Azertac state news agency on April 14.
“As usual the Armenian side has distorted the negotiation process in a way they see fit for themselves. Attempts by Armenia to distort the essence of the negotiation process and to introduce unilateral attitudes are yet another indication of Armenia’s unserious and destructive approach towards the conflict settlement process,” Mammadyarov said.
It is beyond any logic to argue the invalidity of the document, in this context the updated Madrid principles, submitted by co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group to the depositary of the Secretary General of OSCE, with the consent of the parties to the conflict - Armenia and Azerbaijan, he said emphasizing that Azerbaijan's position to resolve the conflict is well known to the international community.
Armenia occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, after laying territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor that caused a brutal war in the early 1990s.
Long-standing efforts by US, Russian and French mediators to end the conflict have been largely fruitless so far.
“In accordance with the resolutions of the UN Security Council 822 (1993), 853 (1993), 874 (1993) and 884 (1993) Armenian armed forces should completely and unconditionally withdraw from all occupied territories of Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan’s integrity and sovereignty must be provided within the internationally recognized borders. Azerbaijan repeatedly expressed its readiness to start the political process for the settlement of the conflict based on the mentioned principles,” he said.
The FM believes the sabotage and military provocations launched by the Armenian armed forces since April 2 along the line of contact are yet another testimony to the fact that illegal presence of Armenian troops in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan is the main reason for the tensions and poses a threat to the regional peace and security.
Elmar Mammadyarov stated that it has also demonstrated fragility of the peace in the region.”
“Probably, some people in Armenia think that the region is still in the 90s of the last century. The region has changed significantly. It is obvious that unlike Armenia, the political and economic policy of Azerbaijan such as the other countries of the region is more mature in the international and regional levels.”
The sooner Armenian leadership realizes the importance of withdrawing their troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, the sooner peace and stability can be provided in the region, Mammadyarov concluded.
As a result of the military aggression of Armenia, over 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed, 4,866 are reported missing and almost 100,000 were injured, and 50,000 were disabled.
The UN Security Council has passed four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal from the Azerbaijani territory, but they have not been enforced to this day.
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