ARAZ AZIMOV: "IF THE OPENING OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN BORDERS IS CARRIED OUT IN UNILATERAL FORMAT, THE LIBERATION OF LANDS FROM OCCUPATION WILL BE DELAYED"

APA
Oct 20 2009
Azerbaijan

"We propose the opening of Turkish-Armenian borders as an element
in the solution to the conflict, liberation of the lands from the
occupation, and joint implementation of use of roads, particularly
the Lachin corridor"

Baku – APA. Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Araz Azimov answered
the questions about the principles of solution to the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. According to APA, the deputy minister said three principles
of the international law, territorial integrity, non-use of force
and self-determination are reviewed and the territorial integrity of
the countries and inviolability of the borders without permission of
the countries stay as a background of those principles as a common
denominator. "The self-determination shouldn’t lead to the division
of the country or separation of the borders without the country’s
permission. The self-determination is not independence and it doesn’t
give any right. This right can be provided only within the territorial
integrity and can be reviewed as a domestic self-determination and
valued as a norm in the international experience".

In the talks with Armenia, Azerbaijan is ready to pass the
determination of the status of self-administration of the population
of Karabakh region within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,
as a common denominator, from the position of vertical administration
according to its position. We are expecting from Armenia the same
attitude, to leave its demands for independence of Nagorno Karabakh,
which violates the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, and to agree
with the common denominator proposed by Azerbaijan (self-determination
within the territorial integrity). It is a compromise option and
can be valued constructively. It is impossible to change territories
and borders of Azerbaijan without its permission. So Armenia has two
options: it agrees with the continuation of current situation or agrees
with the solution to the conflict on the basis of above-mentioned
common denominator. We don’t see clearness from Armenia on this issue.

Particularly, regarding the issue of status, we have to notice
that changing of status should be objective and carried out in
the objective conditions. What the objective condition includes:
lifting of the occupation factor and return of all territories,
restoration of relevant infrastructure and return of population,
particularly the Azerbaijanis of Nagorno Karabakh. The issue is
not solved without return of Azerbaijanis to the occupied regions
and the status of Nagornmo Karabakh can be determined only with the
participation of whole population of the region. The population should
live together in this region again, work peacefully and together,
and establish peaceful neighborhood relations without enmity. The
issue of status can be reviewed only in this condition. I would like
to emphasize again that the factor of occupation must be lifted,
the roads must be restored and cooperation should replace the enmity
for the determination of the status.

The liberation of the territories, return of population, restoration of
cooperation are in the focus for solution of the problems ahead until
that period and Azerbaijani side would cooperate with the Nagorno
Karabakh Armenians to solve these issues. After the liberation of
the occupied lands

Azerbaijanis must be provided with necessary conditions, when they
return to Nagorno Karabakh. And there should be an opportunity for
them to establish relations with their Armenian neighbors. At the same
time, there should be opportunities for Armenia to cooperate with
Azerbaijani side in Nagorno Karabakh. Moreover, different programs
will be implemented in Nagorno Karabakh by various international
organizations. In order to establish cooperation and provide the
population there to live with equal rights, application of temporary
agreements (temporary status) is proposed unless the final status is
determined. And it will ensure the protection and equal rights of both
(Azerbaijani and Armenian) communities of the region. In certain stage
of discussions, representatives of both communities of Nagorno Karabakh
will join the processes in order to have an opportunity to part take
in discussions and solutions of the issues they are concerned about.

If it is accepted as one of the principles of recognition of IDPs’
rights to return to their homelands within the framework of the
conflict, we must specify some issues again. So, both sides have
populations who were obliged to change their places during the
20-year history of the conflict. However, except those, who have
become refugees from the territories of Armenia and Azerbaijan, there
is a group, which has suffered most, the group of 700 thousand IDPs
only in Azerbaijan (as it is the side undergone ethnic cleansing and
occupation). The problems of refuges from both sides will be solved
in the next stages on mutual basis. Occupied territories must be
released, IDPS must return to their homelands and it’s not enough to
recognize only the returning right in this situation. Their return
must be ensured by Armenia as a commitment. If we approach this
issue from legal and political point of view, first and foremost
Azerbaijanis forcedly driven out from Nagorno Karabakh region must
return to their homelands, because only their return will create
objective condition for elimination of results of ethnic cleansing
and determination of status. Such approach is imperative in terms of
international legal norms and principles. One of the factors in the
solution to the conflict will be the opening of roads and borders
– the first principle – all roads and borders must be opened at
the same time, second principle – their opening is possible only
after the release of the occupied territories. If the opening of
Turkish-Armenian borders is carried out in unilateral format, the
liberation of lands from occupation will be delayed and it will
create obstacles for Azerbaijanis to return to Nagorno Karabakh
and surrounding regions. We propose the opening of Turkish-Armenian
borders as an element in the solution to the conflict, liberation
of the lands from the occupation, and joint implementation of use
of roads, particularly the Lachin corridor. Such principle must be
accepted and confirmed in this stage. Otherwise, the solution process
of the conflict will delay without it".