Azernews.Az

By Mushvig Mehdiyev

Armenia’s occupation of Azerbaijan's territory clearly testifies Yerevan's use of force policy against Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry official said.

Spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, Hikmet Hajiyev said Armenia’s genocide crime and bloody ethnic cleansing policy against Azerbaijanis carried out in the most terrible form in Azerbaijan's historical lands and the occupied territories at the end of the twentieth century stand testimony to Yerevan's despicable attitude.

Hajiyev's comments came as an assessment of Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian’s address at the session of the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie organization, where he said the period of genocide was not a past reality, and that the civilized world should always work to prevent any further genocide.

Hajiyev said one can surely agree with Armenian foreign minister's words about the "continuation of the period of genocide".

"It would be more serious if Nalbandyan, who once again turned the "genocide" topic into a tool for his political speculation before an international audience on March 31 – the Day of Genocide of Azerbaijanis, gave an assessment of the bloody events of March 1918 against Azerbaijanis. He should acknowledge the responsibility of Armenia in view of war crimes committed by Armenians in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, as well as the crimes against humanity and genocide actions," Hajiyev said.

Although history remembers quite clearly Armenia's role against Azerbaijan, Yerevan continues to present itself as a defender of peace and humanity, thus disrespecting the international community and international institutions noted Hajiyev.

Referring to the Great Peace Agreement, Hajiyev said that it would've been better if Nalbandyan left his plea on the settlement of the conflict and clarified Armenia's refusal to start work on the project.

The Great Peace Agreement initiated by Azerbaijan envisages the peaceful end to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh showing Armenian force's withdrawal from the occupied lands as the first stage to launch the process. Armenia's constant refusal to pull out its troops brought the project into a deadlock.

Hajiyev accused the Armenian foreign minister of seizing every opportunity to distort the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ appeals on the principles of non-use of force and threats of using it, also on the principles of territorial integrity and the right of people for self-determination.

"By violating the basic principles of law, ignoring the diplomatic and political ethics, Nalbandyan puts the right of people to self-determination above the principle of territorial integrity," he said.

Hajiyev reminded Nalbandyan that the right of peoples to self-determination is fixed in line with the major principle of territorial integrity.

Unlike Yerevan, Baku has repeatedly said that the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region can determine their fate within Azerbaijani borders only after the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied lands.

Armenia has occupied Azerbaijani territories by using force, said Hajiyev, adding "namely Armenia poses a constant threat by keeping a military contingent in Azerbaijan’s occupied territories."

Hajiyev went on to add that the presence of Armenian troops in the occupied Azerbaijani lands is a clear proof of use of force, noting that it also threatens the regional peace and stability as a source of instability.

"Peace and stability in the region can be restored only after Armenia puts an end to aggression and occupation and withdraws from the occupied lands," he concluded.

Baku's diligence in view of settling the conflict received no relevant feedback from Yerevan so far since the latter favors maintaining a dangerous military standoff. Escalations along the line of contact are a crystal clear manifestation of Armenia's all-out attempts to prolong the painful conflict even at the cost of the lives of its own people.

Azerbaijan's internationally recognized Nagorno-Karabakh territory was turned into a battlefield and zone of aggravated tensions after Armenia sent its troops to occupy Azerbaijan's lands. As a result, 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory stands under military occupation. For the past two decades, and despite calls from the international community, Armenia has refused to withdraw its troops and retreat within its national borders.

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