Baku: Illegal regime set up by Armenia is product of aggression, ehtnic cleansing
By Akbar Mammadov
The Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published a statement on the illegal “elections” held on 31 March 2020 in the occupied Azerbaijani territories by Armenia.
Below is the text of the statement.
Against the background of continuing military occupation and ethnic cleansing of the territories of Azerbaijan by Armenia, the holding of “elections” in the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan constitutes a clear violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the norms and principles of international law, including the UN Charter, CSCE Helsinki Final Act of 1975 and the related UN Security Council Resolutions and, therefore, shall have no legal effect whatsoever.
The illegal regime established by the Republic of Armenia in the
occupied territories of Azerbaijan is ultimately nothing other than
the product of aggression, ethnic cleansing and racial
discrimination; it is under Armenia’s direction and control.
The international community has consistently deplored in the
strongest terms the use of military force against Azerbaijan and
the resulting occupation of its territories. In 1993, the United
Nations Security Council adopted resolutions 822 (1993), 853
(1993), 874 (1993) and 884 (1993), condemning the occupation of the
territories of Azerbaijan and reaffirming respect for the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan
and the inviolability of its internationally recognized borders. In
those resolutions, the Security Council also confirmed that the
Nagorno-Karabakh region is an integral part of Azerbaijan, and
demanded the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of
the Armenian occupying forces from all the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan. Other international organizations have adopted a
similar position.
Accordingly, the international community has unequivocally and
consistently rejected the previous “elections” shows orchestrated
by the Republic of Armenia in the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan, and thus, clearly invalidated whatever pretexts that
Armenia cynically uses to justify its overt disrespect to
international law, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the
Republic of Azerbaijan, as well as the human rights of the expelled
population of the occupied territories.
Elections in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of the Republic of
Azerbaijan may be held only within the Constitutional framework of
the Republic of Azerbaijan and full participation of the entire
population of the region. Any election will be possible only after
the withdrawal of the Armenian occupying forces, return of the
expelled Azerbaijani population to their places of origin, and
restoration of dialogue and cooperation between the Armenian and
Azerbaijani communities of the region.
The Ministry reiterates that resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is possible only on the basis of the
sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within its
internationally recognized borders. The military occupation of the
territory of Azerbaijan does not represent a solution and any
attempt to impose fait accompli, including through organizing sham
“elections” will never produce a political outcome desired by
Armenia, nor will it bring any positive perspective for this
country. Azerbaijan will never reconcile with the occupation of its
internationally recognized territories.
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Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97
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