By Vugar Khalilov
Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmat Hajiyev has described as accurate only 25 percent of minefield maps provided by Armenia.
Hajiyev made the remarks at a conference on "Humanitarian mine action and sustainable development goals (SDGs)" jointly organized by the Azerbaijan Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Baku on April 1.
"They planted mines instead of trees in our territories. Both soldiers and civilians were killed and injured in the blasts. Unfortunately, only 25 percent of the mine maps provided by Armenia were useful," Hajiyev stressed.
He underlined that millions of mines were planted by Armenians on Azerbaijan’s formerly occupied territories and Azerbaijan is working hard to clear the area of mines.
Hajiyev emphasized that the Azerbaijani regions liberated from Armenian occupation in the second Karabakh war in 2020 are the most mine-littered area in the world.
Hajiyev earlier stated that Azerbaijan faces critical issues such as the restoration and reconstruction of liberated territories, as well as the return of internally displaced persons. The threat of mines is one of the most significant obstacles in this regard, and Azerbaijan hopes for serious international support in eliminating this threat.
In his remarks at the event, ANAMA Chairman Vugar Suleymanov stated that since November 10, 2020, over 25,000 hectares of land have been cleared of mines, and over 55,000 mines and unexploded ordnance have been discovered and neutralized on the liberated territories.
Suleymanov stated that Azerbaijan's Karabakh region ranks first in the world for mine pollution and that due to the magnitude of the problem, the Azerbaijani government prioritizes demining of the liberated territories.
"This issue is in the focus of President Ilham Aliyev, and extensive work is being done in this direction," he said.
It should be noted that the conference, in a hybrid format, brings together key figures from the international community, mine operations operators, government agencies, and civil society to discuss the importance of humanitarian demining activities in mitigating mine threats to human life and normal living conditions.
The event will investigate the potential of humanitarian demining activities for long-term peace and socio-economic development, as well as the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 16th Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to significantly reduce all forms of violence and related deaths globally.
In particular, the significance of demining in the restoration of Azerbaijan's liberated lands will be evaluated and information on the country's large-scale demining activity will be provided.
ANAMA, in collaboration with partner countries, conducts demining operations on Azerbaijan's liberated territories. The State Border Service and the Defence Ministry also demine the liberated lands.
Armenia deliberately and constantly planted mines on Azerbaijani territories, in violation of the 1949 Geneva Convention, thereby being a major threat to regional peace, security and cooperation.
Armenia submitted to Azerbaijan all mine maps of liberated territories as a result of talks held through the Russian Defence Ministry's mediation on December 4, 2021.
Previously, on June 12, Azerbaijan handed over 15 Armenian prisoners in exchange for a map detailing the location of 97,000 mines in formerly-occupied Aghdam.
On July 3, Armenia submitted to Azerbaijan maps of about 92,000 anti-tank and anti-personnel mines planted during the occupation of Fuzuli and Zangilan regions.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a Russia-brokered peace agreement on November 10, 2020, to end 44 days of fighting and work toward a comprehensive resolution.