Azernews.Az

By Abdul Kerimkhanov

The 132-kilometer section of the state border of Azerbaijan with Iran has turned into an uncontrolled zone that delivers drugs to European and other countries, said Ali Hasanov, Vice-Premier, Chairman of the State Commission for combating drug abuse and drugs trafficking.

The statement was made at the 53rd session of the UN Subcommittee on Illicit Drug Trafficking in the Middle East and other issues held in Baku on November 19.

Hasanov noted that narcotic plants are grown in the Azerbaijani lands occupied by the Armenian armed forces.

He said that in the territories are used for the production and transit of drugs, training of terrorist groups, hereby further increasing threats. This is a violation of international norms," Hasanov concluded.

Moreover, Hasanov said that the U.S. State Department's International Conference on Combating Drugs will be held in Baku.

Azerbaijani-Iranian border remains uncontrolled due to the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia and this causes serious concern.

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.

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, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding regions.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

Despite Baku's best efforts, peace in the occupied lands remains a mirage in the distance as Armenia refuses to comply with international law.

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Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94

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