Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

The Armenian leadership should understand that demonstration of a constructive approach and refusal of its aggressive policy towards the neighboring state will help progress the peace process, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said.

He made the remarks in an interview with the leading Italian mass media "Globalist", "TM News", "La stampa", "Internazionale", "AGİ", "Unita" and "Newsit24."

Mammadyarov said the only way to achieve sustainable peace and good neighborhood relations is the liberation of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, restoration of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country, the return of about one million refugees and IDPs to their native lands and ensuring their rights.

He noted that Azerbaijan's position regarding the solution of the conflict is obvious and it is based on the fundamental principles of international law, the UN Security Council's four resolutions, the basic principles of the Helsinki Final Act and other documents and resolutions of international organizations.

"We firmly believe that the launch of the confidence-building measures with the elimination of the consequences the Armenian occupation is the most suitable option for the resolution of the conflict peacefully," Mammadyarov said.

Armenia occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions, after laying territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor that caused a brutal war in the early 1990s. Long-standing efforts by US, Russian and French mediators have been largely fruitless so far.

As a result of the military aggression of Armenia, over 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed, 4,866 were reported missing and almost 100,000 were injured, and 50,000 were disabled.

The UN Security Council has passed four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal from the Azerbaijani territory, but they have not been enforced to this day.