Azernews.Az

By Rashid Shirinov

The continuation of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the biggest obstacle to peace and development in the region.

This was stated by Novruz Mammadov, deputy head of Azerbaijani presidential administration, chief of the administration's foreign relations department at the conference “Azerbaijan’s role on global and regional arena: Realities and Prospects” in Baku on October 7.

He added that the legal basis for the conflict’s settlement is reflected in the decisions and resolutions adopted by the UN and other international organizations.

“Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are supported and recognized in all of these documents. But unfortunately, the international law has remained only as a document over the last ten years,” Mammadov stressed.

Armenia broke out a lengthy war against Azerbaijan laying territorial claims on its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.

The top official pointed out that the current tension within the international community is a result of incompliance with the international law.

“John Kerry, the state secretary of the world’s superpower US, sends a message to the world that allegedly, the leaders are not ready for the conflict’s settlement,” he said. “Which logical option the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs have proposed [for the conflict’s settlement] that Azerbaijan hasn’t agreed to?”

“Why Azerbaijan’s seven regions surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh are not liberated? Which steps were taken by these major states to liberate these seven regions, which were populated by hundreds of thousands of people?” asked Mammadov.

Over the past years, OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs have found the following solution: Azerbaijan and Armenia should come to an agreement by themselves, added the top official.

“This is a proof of the unfair and double standard attitude towards Azerbaijan. Armenia states that Azerbaijan is not ready for compromises. Yerevan means that Nagorno-Karabakh should be fully given to Armenia. Kerry’s statement is more similar to this position of Armenia,” said Mammadov.

He pointed out that the relevant bodies of the U.S. should provide an explanation on Kerry’s statements, adding that Armenia tries to protract the conflict’s settlement and such statements give ground to this.

Mammadov added that Khojaly genocide shouldn’t be put aside when talking about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Armenia tries to present the fictitious genocide as real in the world, while the Khojaly massacre is the last genocide committed in the past century and many countries, as well as several US states have recognized this genocide, said the top official.

Economic development

Novruz Mammadov also spoke about the achievements of Azerbaijan since the country regained its independence.

Currently, an evident progress is observed in Azerbaijan’s social, political and economic spheres and this progress was achieved in the country’s development process, said Mammadov.

Azerbaijan presents its own development model to the world, said the top official, adding that international organizations also praise the country’s development.

“Currently, Azerbaijan is moving on the path of turning the “black gold” into human capital,” he said.

The top official emphasized the increasing investments in education and modern technologies, as well as the steps taken for diversification of economy.

He pointed out that Azerbaijan has launched its satellite into orbit.

Further, the top official said that Azerbaijan pursues domestic and foreign policy based on national interests.

“As President Ilham Aliyev pointed out, Azerbaijan is among few countries that are members of both the Council of Europe and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation,” he said.

“Azerbaijan’s temporary presidency of the UN Security Council was an important event. This trust in Azerbaijan showed that the country enjoys respect both in the region and on the international arena for its policy,” said Mammadov.

Although Azerbaijan is not a big country, it actively participates in the international anti-terrorism coalitions for ensuring peace and stability in the whole world, added the top official.

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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov

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