Category: 2018

Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Elchin Mehdiyev – Trend:

By carrying out illegal activity in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, Armenia aims to preserve the status quo in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Deputy Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev said.

He made the remarks Nov. 17 at an international conference entitled “Illegal activity in the occupied Azerbaijani territories and the responsibility of third parties” in Baku.

Hajiyev reminded that Armenia carries out illegal activity in the occupied Azerbaijani territories as part of the occupation and aggression policy conducted against Azerbaijan.

He said that this illegal activity is of purposeful and biased nature and is aimed at annexing the occupied lands.

“The illegal activity in the occupied Azerbaijani territories creates very serious problems in the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and that’s the purpose and intention of Armenia,” said Hajiyev.

He noted that the illegal activity in the occupied Azerbaijani territories is carried out in several directions.

“The first and one of the most important problems is that a purposeful settlement policy is carried out in these territories, that is, the demographic situation is purposefully being changed,” he said. “Secondly, natural resources, in particular mineral resources, are looted in the occupied territories, illegal and non-transparent financial and economic activities are carried out, money laundering is taking place.”

The illegal activity is associated with changes in infrastructure in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, including the operation of Azerbaijan’s telecommunications networks and the conduct of illegal telecommunications activities, changes in the cultural character of the occupied lands, looting, destruction of the material and cultural heritage belonging to the Azerbaijani people, as well as changing the features of the existing material, cultural and religious monuments by representing them as Armenian ones, he added.

“One type of illegal activity is propaganda of the occupied Azerbaijani territories as a tourism destination and organizing illegal visits to these territories,” he said. “Thus, such goals as encouraging and legitimizing the illegal regime created as a result of the occupation and aggression by Armenia are pursued.”

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:

France doesn’t recognize the illegal regime created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories and doesn’t maintain any relations with those who consider themselves the “leaders” of this regime, the French Foreign Ministry said in a message, RIA Novosti reported.

The ministry was commenting on the visit to France by “head” of the separatist entity created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

“As a co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group, France is working to find a peaceful and sustainable solution and impartially fulfills its mission of a mediator,” the message said.

On Nov. 15, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said that France’s constant double standards approach makes Azerbaijan reconsider its ties with that country.

"Bako Sahakyan’s visit to France, presenting himself as the “head” of the separatist regime established in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, is another unsuccessful attempt to encourage that puppet entity at the international level," the Foreign Ministry said.

“France, which created conditions for that visit and accepted "representatives" of the illegal regime, by this step not only violates the spirit of bilateral relations and the signed agreements, but also demonstrates disregard for supremacy of norms and principles of international law and the undertaken obligations,” reads the statement.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

—

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn

Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Elchin Mehdiyev – Trend:

Visits to a number of countries, in particular to the co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, by people who present themselves as representatives of the illegal regime created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories are one of the constituent elements of illegal actions in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, Deputy Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Hikmet Hajiyev told reporters in Baku Nov. 17.

Hajiyev said that France is one of the co-chair countries, and the essence of the mediatory mission requires that a mediator country show balanced attitude and avoid taking biased steps.

“There are such phenomena as the twinning process of some French cities with occupied territories and cities of Azerbaijan, visits to France by people presenting themselves as leaders of the illegal regime,” Hajiyev noted. “We consider this to be incompatible with the commitments undertaken by France as a co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group, and this should be stopped.”

He said that in this context, Azerbaijan’s diplomatic mission will express the country’s serious discontent to the French side.

“The Azerbaijani community of the Nagorno-Karabakh region also expressed its attitude to this issue,” said Hajiyev. “If such a person as Bako Sahakyan visits France, equality should be ensured in relation to communities. If we consider the issue as part of the human rights, both communities are equal, thus, special treatment of one community and violation of the rights of the other community is gross violation of human rights. Therefore, if France and other countries want to contribute to the conflict’s settlement process, first of all, the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories should be ensured and the right of IDPs to return to their homes should be guaranteed.”

He added that as part of this process, a dialogue between the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno-Karabakh region should be encouraged.

“Therefore, the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries and the world community in this direction would be useful,” he said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Matanat Nasibova – Trend:

Armenia’s aggression policy causes great damage to Azerbaijan in all spheres, including the economic and environmental ones, Zakir Ibrahimov, chairman of the board of AzerGold CJSC, told Trend Nov. 17 on the sidelines of the international conference entitled “Illegal activity in the occupied Azerbaijani territories and the responsibility of third parties” in Baku.

He noted that a report was prepared regarding illegal activities in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, and was sent to the country’s Prosecutor General’s Office.

He said that the process initiated by AzerGold CJSC to bring to justice Armenian companies, individuals and officials, as well as foreign companies related to the production of non-ferrous metals and operating in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, particularly in Nagorno-Karabakh region, was continued by the Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan.

“Non-ferrous metals [in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan] have been mined for more than a decade,” he noted. “The huge multimillion-dollar revenues of Armenian companies are registered in the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), this allows to carry out huge financial transfers to the budget of the so-called NKR, as well as to the budget of Armenia.”

That is, the Armenian budget receives tax revenues and financial contributions at the expense of the profits from the sale of precious metals from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, he added.

“Naturally, Armenia’s occupation policy, its aggression against Azerbaijan lies in the core of all this,” Ibrahimov stressed.

The investigation carried out by the Prosecutor General’s Office of Azerbaijan revealed that managers of the Vallex Group, Base Metals, ACP, Lerna Metalurgiayi Institute, Teghout and other companies registered in Armenia and other countries, as well as individuals, repeatedly illegally crossed Azerbaijan’s state border from Armenia, and created facilities together with other persons in the occupied territories.

It was established that they also received illegal income from the extraction of a large quantity of gold and other non-ferrous metals at the fields in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan’s Kalbajar district, the fields of Zangilan, Tartar district and other fields.

During the investigation, using the high-definition imagery of the Azersky satellite of Azerkosmos OJSC and the geological survey data, the facts of conducting illegal mining operations at ore deposits located in Azerbaijan’s occupied territories were proved.

Regarding these facts, the Azerbaijani Prosecutor General’s Office launched a criminal case under articles 192.2.3 (illegal entrepreneurship) and 318.2 (illegal crossing of Azerbaijan’s state border).

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Matanat Nasibova – Trend:

Azerbaijan’s Embassy in France has sent a note of protest to the country’s Foreign Ministry, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s acting spokeswoman Leyla Abdullayeva told reporters in Baku Nov. 17.

She was commenting on the visit to France by the “head” of the separatist entity created in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

“In this regard, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry made a specific and categorical statement,” she said.

Abdullayeva noted that Azerbaijan assesses such a step by France, a country that is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, which created conditions for the visit of the “representative” of the illegal regime and for holding certain meetings there, as encouragement of the occupation regime.

“We believe that this step by France casts doubt on its objectivity and impartiality,” she added. “In this regard, the Azerbaijani Embassy in Paris handed over a note of protest to the French Foreign Ministry.”

On Nov. 15, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said that France’s constant double standards approach makes Azerbaijan reconsider its ties with that country.

"Bako Sahakyan’s visit to France, presenting himself as the “head” of the separatist regime established in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, is another unsuccessful attempt to encourage that puppet entity at the international level," the Foreign Ministry said.

“France, which created conditions for that visit and accepted "representatives" of the illegal regime, by this step not only violates the spirit of bilateral relations and the signed agreements, but also demonstrates disregard for supremacy of norms and principles of international law and the undertaken obligations,” reads the statement.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Matanat Nasibova – Trend:

Armenia is barbarously exploiting natural resources in the occupied Azerbaijani territories and is causing environmental damage to these lands, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s acting spokeswoman Leyla Abdullayeva said.

She made the remarks Nov. 17 at an international conference entitled “Illegal activity in the occupied Azerbaijani territories and the responsibility of third parties” in Baku.

She noted that the illegal activities of Armenia in the occupied territories primarily violate the laws of Azerbaijan.

She said that at the same time, this fact is gross violation of the principles and norms of international law.

“As a result, these facts should be regarded as violation of the principle of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, as well as the requirements of the Geneva Convention,” she noted. “It is obvious that Armenia is trying by any means to continue occupying foreign territories and consolidate the status quo in order to further strengthen its military presence in Azerbaijani territories.”

Abdullayeva added that all these steps negatively affect the entire region.

“The resettlement policy of ethnic Armenians to occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region demonstrates the attempts of the Armenian side to change the demographic background in the territory of Azerbaijan, and this fact shouldn’t remain outside the attention of the international community,” she said. “The facts of settlement of Syrian Armenians in the occupied Azerbaijani territories are intended not only to improve the demographic situation of Armenia, but also to create real obstacles for the return to Nagorno-Karabakh of the Azerbaijanis expelled from their native land.”

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov. 17

By Matanat Nasibova – Trend:

Armenia’s illegal activity in the occupied Azerbaijani territories is one of the main problems, and this issue should not only be discussed as part of events organized inside the country, but also abroad, Chairman of the Azerbaijani Parliament’s committee on international relations and inter-parliamentary ties Samad Seyidov said.

He made the remarks Nov. 17 at an international conference entitled “Illegal activity in the occupied Azerbaijani territories and the responsibility of third parties” in Baku.

He noted that periodically the Azerbaijani delegation raises this issue at the level of international structures in order to draw attention to the situation in the occupied territories.

“This issue has been submitted for discussion to the Council of Europe, and I think that it is necessary to hold conferences of the current level in international structures, in Europe and, possibly, with the participation of Azerbaijani MPs,” he said. “I consider it very important to hold a conference of such content in a multilateral format. This would be the most effective way to find mechanisms for solving this global problem, which is of great importance for Azerbaijan. In the current situation, it is necessary to provide detailed information based on real facts related to the illegal use of the occupied Azerbaijani territories by Armenia for enrichment purposes.”

He noted that the OSCE Minsk Group should pay special attention to this problem, the mission of which shouldn’t consist of idleness that it has shown all these years, but the maximum use of all instruments of pressure on the occupier country – Armenia.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.