(MENAFN- AzerNews)
Sabina Mammadli read more Azerbaijan has resolutely rejected claims by Armenia's UN
Permanent Mission against the country on the ground that they are
completely false and groundless, Azerbaijan's representative to the
UN Yashar Aliyev said.
He made the remarks at a meeting of the UN Security Council in
New York on December 21.
During the speech, Aliyev expressed deep regret over Armenia's
misuse of the Security Council for a state campaign of
manipulation, distortion, and falsification.
Aliyev once again pointed out that the Karabakh economic region,
which is erroneously called 'Nagorno-Karabakh' by Armenia and some
members of the council, is an internationally recognized sovereign
region of Azerbaijan, which was occupied by Armenia for almost 30
years, as is reaffirmed in the Security Council's resolutions 822,
853, 874 and 884.
Talking about the current events around the Lachin road, Aliyev
stressed that the road is completely located on the territory of
Azerbaijan, in Lachin District.
“It was occupied by the Armenian armed forces in May 1992. The
population of Lachin, which numbered more than 77,000 citizens
[before the occupation], was forced to leave their native lands and
homes, and the city and surrounding villages were looted and burned
by the Armenian troops. Two years ago, after the 2020 second
Karabakh war, in accordance with the sixth point of the trilateral
statement, when the Lachin District was returned to Azerbaijan, the
Azerbaijani state guaranteed the safety of people, vehicles, and
goods moving along the Lachin road,” he said.
The diplomat underlined that the Lachin road is not closed by
the Azerbaijani government nor the peaceful protesters, stressing
that the movement of citizens, cargo, and vehicles along the route
remains unchanged, and the peacekeepers continue to fulfill their
duties related to the protection of the route.
He also added that according to the trilateral statement, the
Lachin road is intended to be used exclusively for humanitarian
purposes and misuse of it is a violation of the terms of the
trilateral statement and is unacceptable.
Aliyev noted that claims about the humanitarian consequences of
the situation are also false, as there are no obstacles to the
supply of goods or essential health services.
Further, Aliyev underlined that for more than two years,
Armenia, in violation of the fourth point of the trilateral
statement of November 10, 2020, refused to completely withdraw its
armed forces and illegal armed formations from Azerbaijani
territory, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily
deployed, and continue their illegal military operations there.
He also pointed out violations of the trilateral statement, such
as Armenia's refusal to share maps of the hundreds of thousands of
mines it has planted and continued to do so even after the war.
Noting the recent incidents with the finding of over 2,700 mines
produced in Armenia in 2021, the official summed up that after the
signing of the trilateral statement, 276 Azerbaijani citizens
became victims of anti-personnel mines, 46 of them, including 35
civilians, died.
“The goal is clear - Armenia is trying to use every means to
hinder Azerbaijan's efforts to restore and return hundreds of
thousands of internally displaced persons to their homes,” he
said.
Moreover, he informed the participants about Armenia's
environmental terrorism in the region by plundering mineral
deposits, carrying out mining operations, as well as wastewater
treatment and land reclamation, without observing environmental
technical standards.
“Azerbaijan's position in this regard is clear, principled and
consistent, based on international law and international practice.
Immediately after the end of the conflict, Azerbaijan began the
process of normalization of interstate relations with Armenia on
the basis of mutual recognition and respect for each other's
sovereignty and territorial integrity within internationally
recognized borders, including through the signing of a peace
treaty,' he added.
Commenting on the discussions in the council, Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministry noted in a statement that it has become another
platform for the international community to become more aware of
Azerbaijan's grounded concerns, including Armenia's deliberate and
constant violation of obligations taken as part of the trilateral
statement of November 10, 2020.
“In his statement, the representative of Azerbaijan rejected all
accusations of Armenia in alleged blocking of the Lachin road by
Azerbaijan, 'blockade' and 'humanitarian catastrophe' in relation
to Armenian residents, saying that all these claims are absolutely
false and unfounded,” the ministry noted.
The ministry reiterated its call on the international community
to persuade Armenia to reciprocate its offer of Azerbaijan, cease
its political and military provocations, abandon its aggressive
rhetoric and actions, and engage in good faith in direct
negotiations to find a peaceful diplomatic solution to all issues
pertaining to inter-state relations between Azerbaijan and
Armenia.
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Sabina Mammadli is AzerNews' staff journalist, follow her on
Twitter: @sabinammdl
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Tags: karabakh armenia un security council yashar aliyev lachin-shusha road