AZERBAIJANI SENIOR OFFICIAL: KARABAKH ARMENIANS ARE HOSTAGE OF ARMENIAN LEADERSHIP AND FIELD COMMANDERS

Today
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March 3 2010
Azerbaijan

Interview with Chief of the Political Analysis and Information
Department head at the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Elnur
Aslanov.

The first stage of the Justice for Khojaly campaign is over. Is
it possible to sue criminals involved in the genocide against the
Azerbaijani people in the international court in future?

The Khojaly tragedy is a crime for which its perpetrators should be
definitely made criminally responsible. Killing of innocent civilians,
cruel acts against them do not fit the logic of military actions.

Therefore, I think that it is necessary to use all possible legal
and political means to bring the perpetrators of this tragedy to the
International Court of Justice. None of the criminals who committed
these crimes against civilians in Khojaly cannot and should not
be forgiven.

Recently, Yerevan, concerned about Azerbaijan’s statements on the
possibility of military resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
tried to submit a resolution to the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
requesting peaceful resolution of the conflict. What are the chances
of adopting such resolution?

It shouldn’t be forgotten that Azerbaijan is an active supporter of the
peaceful settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. We have not
occupied by using force, but our lands are occupied. However, Armenia
is aware that each process has its own limit point. We have witnessed
a violation of fundamental principles of international law; territorial
integrity of the state and borders. The rights of over a million people
have been grossly violated. Socio-economic development of the region
has suffered from enormous damage. And all this is a consequence of
Armenian policy, which seeks to realize its own illusory ideas.

Today, Armenia is concerned about the strengthening of
military-political and economic potential of Azerbaijan. At the same
time, the people who live on the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh do
not want to be an object of an irrational policy of Armenia.

Armenians of Karabakh seek peace in their own country and want to
be part of the socio-economic development, to take advantage of all
preferences of effective development. But what does Yerevan give them
except tales on "independence?" Nothing. The Armenians of Karabakh are
hostages of Armenian leadership and field commanders in the Karabakh,
as conflict creates conditions for a comfortable existence and
enrichment through the illegal arms and drug trafficking for Armenia.

Azerbaijan also offers to be part of the process of economic
development and infrastructural reforms. While Yerevan is thinking
about saving the image in their own society, thousands of people who
do not want to be out of the realities of human development suffer
in Karabakh. For what they have to endure the hardships of war? For
the ambitious plans of the Armenian government? Yerevan understands
the hopelessness of its own position. Therefore, it tries every way
to secure itself against the foreign policy, and of course domestic
political fiasco.

Any conflict should be resolved peacefully. But it is difficult to
talk about peace when you neighbor is irrational, and for the sake
of its own mercenary interests doesn’t want to accept reality.

On the eve of parliamentary elections, how do you assess the internal
political situation in Azerbaijan? What are the chances of the current
government and opposition in the upcoming elections?

In general, the internal political situation in the country fully
meets the spirit of democratic development. There are parties,
which compete with each other, discuss the possibilities of upcoming
political battles, alliances and blocs. When the electoral process is
close, the situation becomes usually tight. All this is natural, and
even the already familiar. Each election is a movement forward in the
field of democratization. So these elections will not be an exception.

I am sure that democratic and transparent political competition and
elections arising from the desire of voters to vote for the most
worthy candidate wait for all of us.