FM talks on possible Azerbaijan-Armenia peace treaty to French Le Point

By Trend

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov clarified the issue of signing a peace treaty with Armenia by Azerbaijan in an interview with Le Point French magazine, Trend reports on Nov.25.

According to Bayramov, it will take time to implement the November 9 trilateral statement based on the UN Security Council resolutions.

The minister noted that the statement envisages not only a ceasefire but also a number of important steps leading to peace.

"The statement’s main element is the withdrawal of the Armenian Armed Forces from the three occupied districts by December 1. Fulfillment of this requirement will make it possible to assess Armenia's commitment to the peace process,” he said. “Healing the wounds of decades of war will not be easy and will take time. The main thing is to stop all hostilities and take measures to establish peace in the region.”

“We want a peaceful settlement of the conflict. Only by ending the occupation of Azerbaijani territories and ensuring the return of Azerbaijani IDPs to their homes in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions can lasting peace and security be established in the region," added Bayramov.

Following over a month of military action to liberate its territories from Armenian occupation, Azerbaijan has pushed Armenia to sign the surrender document. A joint statement on the matter was made by the Azerbaijani president, Armenia's PM, and the president of Russia.

A complete ceasefire and a cessation of all hostilities in the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were introduced at 00:00 hours (Moscow time) on 10 November 2020.

Armenian Armed Forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27. Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front.

Back in July 2020, the Armenian Armed Forces violated the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district. As a result of Azerbaijan's retaliation, the opposing forces were silenced. The fighting continued the following days as well. Azerbaijan lost a number of military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian Armed Forces.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, the Armenian Armed Forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.

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