(MENAFN- AzerNews)
Sabina Mammadli read more The role of certain third parties to embolden Armenia's
revanchist behavior is cause for serious concern, as it tempts
Armenia to resort to increased military provocations and bellicose
rhetoric, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said.
He made the remarks speaking at the Eastern Partnership Foreign
Ministers' meeting in Brussels on December 12.
Talking about the normalization process with Armenia, the
minister stressed that despite devastating consequences and
unhealed wounds of war and occupation, Azerbaijan offered Armenia
peace based on mutual recognition and respect for each other's
sovereignty and territorial integrity within their state
borders.
“Over this year, facilitation by EU Council President Mr.
Charles Michel provided momentum for post-conflict normalization.
The trilateral meetings in Brussels proved to be productive.
Azerbaijan continues to support this format and remains ready for
further engagement,” he stated.
Noting the importance to respect impartiality and neutrality,
strict respect for international law, and consent of the parties,
which lie at the heart of any mediation or facilitation efforts,
Bayramov stated that Azerbaijan's approach is clear, consistent,
and based on international law.
Further, he added that one of the tangible outcomes of the
Brussels meeting on August 31 was the kick-off of the bilateral
negotiations on the text of a future peace treaty.
“This document shall guarantee their rights as two equal
sovereign states and provide a basis for addressing all issues of
common interest or concern falling into the realm of inter-state
relations,” the official said.
He stressed that despite increased dynamism in bilateral
negotiations, progress remains rather limited as Armenia sticks to
the past practice of imitation. According to him, Armenia tries to
avoid implementing the undertaken obligations in all three major
tracks of interstate normalization, namely, signing a peace treaty,
delimitation of borders, and opening regional communications. He
added that Armenia has also yet to fully withdraw its illegal armed
formations from the territories of Azerbaijan and delays the
restoration of transport links
“Instead, following reckless provocation along the undelimited
state border in mid-September, Armenia has embarked on a smear
campaign against Azerbaijan to hijack the normalization agenda,”
Bayramov stated.
Post-conflict reconstruction
Speaking at the event, the minister specified that Azerbaijan
has embarked on large-scale post-conflict rehabilitation,
reconstruction, and reintegration efforts, planning to allocate
$1.8 billion from the state budget for this purpose in 2023.
“This year the first group of displaced persons has already been
resettled in the newly-built Aghali village marking the practical
start of the Great Return program, which targets around 700,000
displaced Azerbaijanis,” he added.
Besides, he emphasized that Azerbaijan is resolute to
re-integrate its citizens of Armenian origin residing in
post-conflict territories, guaranteeing the same rights and
freedoms as all the citizens of Azerbaijan.
“The constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan provides a solid
legal framework in this regard. Increased dialogue and contacts
between central Azerbaijani authorities and local ethnic Armenian
residents aim at ensuring peaceful co-existence and needs to be
encouraged and sustained,” he stressed.
Mines contamination
Later, the minister talked about the massive contamination of
territories of Azerbaijan with land mines and other explosives,
which is a key challenge for post-conflict rehabilitation and
reconstruction.
He expressed Azerbaijan's appreciation for the EU's support for
humanitarian demining, noting that given the scale and gravity of
the challenge greater international solidarity and support are of
vital importance.
Bayramov also informed his opposite numbers about the November
10, 2020, trilateral statement, and the fact that 268 Azerbaijanis
have been victims of mine explosions, 45 were killed and 223
wounded among them 9 children and youth, 1 woman, and 3 media
representatives.
“By recklessly disregarding the rising humanitarian toll on an
almost daily basis, Armenia refuses to share full and accurate
information on minefields. On the contrary, it plants new landmines
at massive scale in the territory of Azerbaijan,” he
emphasized.
Further, Bayramov pointed out that since August this year, 2,728
landmines, made in Armenia in 2021, have been detected in the
sovereign territories of Azerbaijan, adding that the minefields of
newly planted Armenia-produced mines were checked by the leadership
of the Russian peacekeeping contingent and the Joint
Russian-Turkish Monitoring Center, as well as military attaches of
the embassies accredited to Azerbaijan.
“Apart from being a breach of peace and war crime in itself, the
continued planting of landmines cannot but undermine efforts for
reconciliation after an almost 30-year-long bloody conflict. The
transfer of landmines to the territory of Azerbaijan is a blatant
abuse of the Lachin road envisaged for exclusively humanitarian
purposes,” he finalized.
Eastern Partnership
In his speech, Bayramov noted that the current meeting is a
useful opportunity for an open and sincere exchange of views
regarding the current state and future direction of the Eastern
Partnership
“Azerbaijan continues to see the Eastern Partnership as an
important complementary mechanism for the development of bilateral
EU-Azerbaijan relations, which is based on mutual respect, equal
partnership, shared interests and benefits,” the minister
stressed.
Moreover, he underlined that the EU is one of Azerbaijan's
largest trade and investment partners, and the MoU that the sides
signed in July 2022 will be important both in terms of stable and
affordable natural gas supply and potential export of green
electricity to Europe.
“Next week we will observe the launch of the
Azerbaijan-Georgia-Romania-Hungary Black Sea submarine cable
project, which will accelerate the energy transition in the
participating states. We are also working with our partners on the
export of green energy from Azerbaijan to Europe and expect to take
an important step in the coming days,” he noted.
Bayramov highlighted that Azerbaijan and the EU also work on the
implementation of the EU's Economic and Investment Plan in
Azerbaijan, which is a good example of project-oriented
cooperation, noting that the first meeting of the High-Level Joint
Working Group was held last week in Baku.
Later, he emphasized the wide economic and investment
possibilities of the Trans-Caspian East-West Middle Corridor and
the increase of transit flows via Azerbaijan by 70% in 2022.
“The emerging transport hub in the liberated territories of
Azerbaijan, including the Zangazur Corridor will play a positive
role in regional peace and sustainability and will foster
intra-regional trade. Difficult times we are living through make it
a necessity that EaP adapts and adjusts its activities to the needs
and interests of partner states,” the minister continued.
He also expressed his hope for the EU's approach towards the
South Caucasus to be adapted taking into account the new situation
on the ground, emerging needs, and priorities in the region.
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Sabina Mammadli is AzerNews' staff journalist, follow her on
Twitter: @sabinammdl
Follow us on Twitter @azernewsaz
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