Yerevan unwilling in peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
By Sara Rajabova
Azerbaijan has stated that responsibility for the increase of tensions in the conflict zone lies exclusively on Armenia.
Azerbaijan’s Permanent Mission to the OSCE made the remarks on the recent escalation of tensions on the contact line of Armenian-Azerbaijani troops while appealing to the 1067th meeting of the Permanent Council on September 10, local media reported.
The mission noted that the recent incidents testify that Armenia is not interested in finding a peaceful solution to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the basis of international law.
The Armenian Armed Forces have recently escalated tensions on the frontline using large-caliber machine guns. Frequent shelling by the Armenian military has put the life of the residents of Azerbaijan’s frontline settlements in danger causing casualties and serious damage to homes and farms.
“On September 1, the armed forces of Armenia fired at a wedding party in the Qapanli village of Azerbaijan’s Tartar region. As a result, of which 3 civilians --two women and one child -- were seriously wounded. Unfortunately, this overt breach of the norms of international humanitarian law on the protection of civilians during armed conflicts is not an isolated case, but represents yet another example of Armenia’s deliberate, wide-ranging and systematic policy,” the statement reads.
Numerous documents adopted by international organizations, resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 of UN Security Council and UN General Assembly Resolution 48/114 dated December 20, 1993 in particular, condemned attacks against civilians in Azerbaijan and the bombardment of civilian populated areas, while expressing grave concern over the forceful displacement of hundred thousands of civilians, according to the statement.
Moreover, the document stressed that resolution 1416 of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe specifically notes that the large-scale expulsion of the Azerbaijani civilian population and the creation of mono-ethnic territories resemble the horrific act of ethnic cleansing.
The mission further stated that systematic and deliberate violations of the ceasefire by Armenia, including targeting of civilians residing in the vicinity of the contact line, and other provocative steps like the organization of so-called “independence celebrations” by the senior leadership of Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and holding illegal “local elections” therein, testifies that Armenia is not interested in finding a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the basis of international law.
The mission noted that Armenia misuses the patience of the international community to prolong the status quo created through the illegal use of force and occupation of international recognized territories of Azerbaijan.
The so-called ‘elections’ to the ‘self-governing bodies’ of the puppet separatist regime installed by Armenia in Azerbaijan’s occupied territories is scheduled for September 13.
The Azerbaijani side reiterated that responsibility for the increase of tensions in the conflict zone lies exclusively on Armenia and reliance on the status quo has no chance of producing Armenia’s desired outcomes.
The mission renewed its call on the chairmanship, the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group and all OSCE participating states to persuade Armenia to refrain from actions that could further deteriorate the already difficult situation on the ground and instead, engage constructively and in good faith in the negotiations with a view to finding peaceful solution to the conflict.
Armenia captured Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions from Azerbaijan in a war that followed the Soviet breakup in 1991. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and nearly 1 million were displaced as a result of the war.
Large-scale hostilities ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire in 1994, but Armenia continued the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for an immediate and unconditional withdrawal.
Peace talks mediated by Russia, France, and the U.S. have produced no results so far.
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Sara Rajabova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on
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