Several thoughts on the normalization process of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations voiced by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the online press conference on June 27, 2022, call into question the intention of this country about establishing sustainable peace in the region, Azerbaijani MFA told APA.
It was noted that it does not fit into any legal or moral framework for the leader of the country that has been occupying part of Azerbaijan’s territory for nearly 30 years, and destroyed it, accusing Azerbaijan of pursuing a policy of blockade over the years.
“We remind Prime Minister Pashinyan: Despite Armenia’s occupying policy, and despite the “destroying everything” approach applied by Armenia for decades in Azerbaijan’s territories, Azerbaijan after liberating its areas was a supporter and initiator of normalization of relations between the two states. Namely Azerbaijan’s head of state, during the post-conflict phase, proposed signing a peace agreement on the basis of strict observance of the principles of international law. The Azerbaijani side even presented the basic principles to the opposing side, on which the agreement should be based. As Pshinyan claims, if Azerbaijan wanted a war, these steps would probably not be needed. If Azerbaijan wanted war, it would not do giant works and made great efforts for reconstruction and restoration of areas razed to the ground by Armenia for 30 years.
Azerbaijani side not only gives statements in words in the direction of delimitation of borders between two countries, the opening of all communications in the region, and signing the future peace agreement between the parties but implements these with its acts and concrete steps. For the long years, the Azerbaijani side has said that establishment of the normal relations in the region and the opening of all communications will be also beneficial for Armenia. The fact that the Armenian side finally understands this and the Prime Minister’s statement that “the opening of communications benefits Armenia” attracts attention as a new approach of the Armenian leadership. It seems, that accepting realities by the Armenian side requires time. We hope that it will not take long time for Armenia to realize the effectiveness of the activity of the Zangazur corridor, which has already become a reality.
When it comes to the trilateral statements, the obligations assumed by the parties with this document and their implementation are obvious. Armenia that sends saboteur forces to the Azerbaijani territory grossly violating the claims of the document, does not remove its illegal armed groups from the Azerbaijani territories, and delays the opening of the communications for a long time, grossly violates the implementation of this statements.
The Armenian prime minister, without clarifying what specific case it refers to, says that “the Azerbaijani side boycotted holding of the meeting at least one case”. If we begin to list the meetings that were proposed by the organization of the international mediators so far during the post-conflict period and violated by the Armenian side with the different excuses, as well as were postponed by provocations 1-2 hours before holding, the list may be so long.
If Armenia really wants peace, it should take the concrete steps in the direction of peace by expressing its political will instead of spending time reviving a format in which the efficiency factor is always low and currently, its activity was clearly admitted as impossible by its members,” said the Ministry.
Source: Azeri-Press News Agency