(MENAFN- AzerNews) President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has sent an
appeal to the participants of the international conference on
"Combating the mine threat - the path to sustainable development", Azernews reports.
The letter reads:
Dear delegates!
I sincerely welcome you on the occasion of the opening of the
international conference themed“Mine Action – The Path to Reaching
Sustainable Development Goals.”
The theme of today's conference is of particular relevance for
Azerbaijan and humanity in general. Azerbaijan ranks among the
countries with the most mine and unexploded ordinance contamination
worldwide due to the deliberate policy pursued by Armenia.
In 2020, Azerbaijan put an end to Armenia's occupation of its
lands, and our country secured a historic victory as an outcome of
a 44-day Patriotic War. In the aftermath of Armenia's 30 years-long
aggression, over 1 million Azerbaijanis were expelled from their
native lands and subjected to ethnic cleansing. While our cities
and villages were razed to the ground and our people's historical,
cultural and religious heritage deliberately annihilated.
According to initial estimates, Armenia had not stopped there
and planted over 1.5 million mines across our lands throughout the
occupation. Since the Second Karabakh War ended, 302 Azerbaijani
citizens fell victim to the mine explosions, 57 of whom died, and
245 were severely injured. Overall, since Armenia's launch of
military aggression against Azerbaijan, nearly 3400 of our fellow
citizens suffered from mines, with 587 losing their lives. 358 mine
victims were children, and 30 were women. Armenia planted mines
along the roads behind the former line of contact, cemeteries, and
other civilian installations, adding to the daily rise in mine
explosion victims. The mine threat Azerbaijan faces is comparable
to the horror of weapons of mass destruction.
The large-scale development work has immediately begun in our
liberated territories to ensure a voluntary, secure and dignified
return of our fellow citizens expelled from their homes. As we
speak, the entire infrastructure destroyed during occupation is
being rebuilt, and cities and villages are constructed in Karabakh
and East Zangezur, declared green energy zone. Some of our
completed work is evident; you have witnessed it firsthand during
your visit to Azerbaijan.
Regrettably, Armenia continued to plant mines across
Azerbaijan's territory after the conflict ended, using the Lachin
road. Over 2700 anti-personnel mines produced in Armenia in 2021
were discovered in our territories.
Along with delaying the restoration and reconstruction work
carried out there, a mass mine contamination of our lands gravely
jeopardizes the lives and well-being of our people. It impedes
realizing the rights of hundreds of thousands of internally
displaced persons who have longed to return to their homes for so
many years.
Humanitarian demining is among Azerbaijan's primary state
priorities. The foundation of that policy was laid by the National
Leader of the people of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev, whose 100th
anniversary we celebrate this year. Thanks to the Great Leader's
strategic vision, foresight and wise policies, Azerbaijan National
Agency for Mine Action – ANAMA, was established 25 years ago.
Presently, ANAMA is the leading agency conducting humanitarian
demining in the country.
Despite the magnitude and complexity of the mine problem we face
and the long way ahead, our country has mobilized all its resources
to overcome this task as soon as possible. Today, demining efforts
in Azerbaijan are conducted using the most modern and advanced
technology available worldwide. Consistent work is underway to
boost our national demining potential, and our capabilities have
grown significantly in that direction in the past two years.
I should note that over 90 percent of our demining activities
are funded through our national resources. In the meantime, we
cooperate productively with our foreign partners in that sphere and
are grateful to the countries and international organizations that
support us. Regrettably, given the general picture, the extent of
foreign support is still mediocre.
Azerbaijan views demining efforts as directly related to
sustainable and lasting development, considering the enormous
impact of demined territories on the welfare and progress of our
people and their significance in a broader perspective for our
country's development. That is why humanitarian demining is
officially declared the 18th National Sustainable Development Goal
in Azerbaijan.
As Azerbaijan addresses its demining problem, it contributes
globally to the humanitarian demining process. Since the
consequences of wars and mines are growing worldwide, we have
proposed establishing humanitarian demining as the UN's 18th SDG.
The work is underway also within the Non-Aligned Movement, where we
hold chairmanship, to form a“Likeminded Group of Mine-Affected
Countries.”
Today's conference is a favorable opportunity to address
challenges and possibilities related to mine problems in the global
agenda and exchange leading expertise in this sphere. I believe the
discussions at this conference will lead to mobilizing joint
efforts in demining and formulating new ideas and initiatives for
the sake of humanity's prosperity and leaving a legacy of a Mine
Free World for future generations.
I extend my best wishes and wish the conference every
success.
Ilham Aliyev
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
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