(MENAFN- AzerNews) Elchin Amirbayov, Assistant to the First Vice-President of
Azerbaijan, has published an article in newsletter , an American weekly online news
magazine, Azernews reports.
'The South Caucasus is the crossroads between resource-rich
Central Asia and resource-hungry European economy. Peace between
Armenia and Azerbaijan will foster the prosperity not just of the
Armenians and Azerbaijanis but of all Eurasia. The resounding
victory of Azerbaijan in the Second Karabakh War of 2020 created a
historic opportunity to turn the page, leave hostilities behind and
normalize relations based on international law.
To seize this opportunity, the West must acquire a better
awareness of the irrefutable facts on which the Azerbaijani views
are based. Unfortunately, Armenia, its diaspora, and foreign
supporters have recently launched a propaganda campaign designed to
obscure these facts from view. The immediate goal of the campaign
is to bring American and European pressure to bear on Baku. The
longer-term goal is to scuttle the peace process that began in
November 2020, when Armenia acknowledged its defeat in the war.
The disinformation campaign focuses on events along the Lachin
Road, linking Armenia with the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, and
it advances two main claims. First, that 'blockade' of the road,
which began on Dec. 12 by Azerbaijani environmental activists
created a humanitarian disaster, endangering the lives of ethnic
Armenians in Karabakh. Second, that it is part of a wider effort by
Azerbaijan to deny the Karabakh Armenians their rights and
security.
Let's take these misleading claims in turn, starting with the
alleged humanitarian crisis. Humanitarian shipments, including
medicines, food, and other essential goods, move easily into
Karabakh. Local civilians facing urgent medical and other essential
needs can leave for Armenia and return along the road.
To prevent any humanitarian crisis, Baku gives the International
Red Cross unimpeded access to the road. It also allows free
movement to Russian peacekeepers. Soldiers of Russia, Armenia's
greatest ally, are better placed than any other international actor
to reassure Yerevan regarding the physical security of Karabakh
Armenians.
Which brings us to the second spurious claim, namely, that
Azerbaijan is denying ethnic Armenians in Karabakh their rights.
Understanding why this is a blatant falsehood requires historical
context, though it is quickly told. During the First Karabakh War,
which ended in 1994, Armenian forces occupied and ethnically
cleansed Karabakh and other surrounding Azerbaijani territories of
ethnic Azerbaijanis. They killed, raped, and tortured many hundreds
of innocent civilians, driving over 800,000 people from their
homes, often in the dead of winter, with the Khojaly massacre being
the peak of this barbarity.
These crimes, committed with impunity and still awaiting
justice, were well documented while they happened. In the wake of
this, international law and every major power in the world
reaffirms Karabakh as a sovereign Azerbaijani territory, and full
restoration of effective Azerbaijani control of Karabakh is seen as
the basis for a just and lasting peace. For this reason, UN
Security Council Resolutions 822, 853, 874, and 884 all demand the
'complete, immediate, and unconditional withdrawal' of Armenian
forces from the territory of Azerbaijan. (Even now, 10,000
Armenia's troops remain in Karabakh-a time bomb threatening peace
and stability).
The UN issued those orders in 1993. For nearly three decades
Azerbaijanis waited patiently for the international community to
implement them. Meanwhile, Armenia played for time, just as it is
doing now: talking about peace, preparing for war, and spreading
misinformation. Its forces looted Azerbaijani towns and villages,
erasing every sign of Azerbaijani cultural heritage, and plundered
its mineral resources.
By 2020, Azerbaijan's patience had worn thin. In the Second
Karabakh War, it demonstrated its resolute determination to reclaim
its stolen land.
In the Trilateral Statement of Nov. 10, 2020 (the agreement
signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia that
brought the Second Karabakh to an end), Armenia agreed to accept a
new reality on the ground and build peace. Ever since, however,
Armenia has misused the Lachin road to export from Karabakh to
Armenia plundered Azerbaijani mineral resources; build up its
military forces in Karabakh; infiltrate third-country nationals to
erect new fortifications; and smuggle in landmines to continue its
terror against Azerbaijanis.
These are not the actions of a country preparing for peace-and
Azerbaijan is all too familiar with these tactics. It will not
permit Armenia, once again, to ensnare it in interminable
negotiations all the while preparing for war. As to the Lachin
road, transparency of any movement along it must be immediately
guaranteed.
Time is of the essence. A sane policy grounded in reality can
still prevent new tragedies. Yerevan must stop relying on dreams
and fantasies and deal with hard facts. Armenia and its allies must
stop using the Armenians of Karabakh as pawns in a cynical game of
power politics. If those involved in facilitating the peace process
will read the realities accurately, they can help Armenia avoid the
mistakes of the past and make peace of the brave'.
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