Azernews.Az

By Nazrin Gadimova

Armenia is engaged in illegal cultivation of the narcotic drugs on Azerbaijan’s occupied territories, as well as processing of these substances and subsequent distribution to other countries.

Ali Hasanov, Azerbaijan’s Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the State Committee on Affairs of Refugees and IDPs, made the remark as part of the Special Session of the UN General Assembly on the World Drug Problem, which is underway in New York.

Addressing the event, Hasanov stressed that there is a need to improve fight methods against drug trafficking and drug addiction as the drug mafia is looking for new ways to preserve and protect its interests, markets and customers.

Furthermore, Azerbaijan’s deputy prime minister emphasized the role of the appropriate governmental bodies in preventing drug trafficking through the territories of the country.

Hasanov stressed that Armenia occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s territories during the Nagorno-Karabakh war, adding that as a result of this aggression 132 kilometers of the southern border is under the control of the Armenian military units.

The head of the delegation said that Azerbaijan’s law enforcement bodies have gathered enough data on this issue and presented it to the relevant UN agencies.

The territorial integrity and respect for the sovereignty of states lay at the heart of the fight against the drug problem, therefore Hasanov called on the international community to put pressure on Armenia to fulfill the UN Security Council’s resolutions demanding the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the Armenian troops from the occupied territories.

Azerbaijan will continue its close cooperation aimed at sharing information and experience in combating drugs with neighboring and other countries, Hasanov concluded.

Baku has repeatedly stated that Armenia uses the Nagorno-Karabakh territory as a testing ground for terrorist activities, as well as for drug trafficking. A military doctrine, adopted by Azerbaijan in 2010, emphasized that the occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh territory by Armenia not only causes damage to the national security, but also have a negative impact on regional security.

--

Nazrin Gadimova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @NazrinGadimova

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz