Azerbaijani defense chief warns of military solution if Armenian occupation persists
By Sara Rajabova
Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev has said in a meeting with Greek Ambassador Dimitrios Tsoungas that Azerbaijan's military will free the occupied territories if Armenia fails to relinquish its policy of invasion soon, the ministry said on October 2.
According to Abiyev, international organizations, leading European countries and the OSCE Minsk Group should intensify their efforts aimed at a negotiated settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, otherwise, unwanted and serious problems may emerge in the region.
For over two decades, Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict which emerged over Armenia's territorial claims. Since a lengthy war in the early 1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. The UN Security Council's four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal have not been enforced to this day.
Noting that the war is still not over, Abiyev said that Armenia must withdraw from the occupied Azerbaijani territories.
During the meeting, Abiyev also emphasized the importance of the development of Azerbaijan-Greece relations.
Ambassador Tsoungas said he will make every effort to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in all areas.
The parties also exchanged views on other issues during the meeting.