...

Baku Concerned on International Crisis Group’s Report on Nagorno-Karabakh

Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict Materials 5 December 2007 13:45 (UTC +04:00)
Baku Concerned on International Crisis Group’s Report on Nagorno-Karabakh

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend K.Ramazanova / Azerbaijan is concerned about the facts mentioned in the last report on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by the International Crisis Group (ICG) and doubts that this organization recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, Hasan Mammadzade, an employee of the Foreign Relations Department of the Azerbaijani President's Administration said. He was speaking at a public discussion of the ICG report on 5 December.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.

The report by ICG does not reflect the true development of Azerbaijan, the increase of oil revenues and increase of corruption, whereas the increase of military expenses was indicated in the report as an indication of an increase in military spirit. However, the armament of Armenia does not concern the ICG at all, Mammadzade said.

Claire Delessard, a representative of the International Crisis Group, said during the publication of the report that military preparations were underway in Azerbaijan and Armenia. "The rehabilitation of military action is possible only in 2012, when Azerbaijan's oil revenues will reduce," she said.

"Following a cut in oil revenues, the situation might become crucial and only civil society can play an important role in the resolution of the conflict," Delessard said.

Mammadzade said that the ICG is an influential organization and the distribution of a report on the Nagorno-Karabakh is very important and positive. However, the document does not highlight the positions of the two sides impartially.

"The report does not take into consideration the refugees' rights and those guilty of their displacement are not named.

The report does not contain data on graves and monuments in Nagorno-Karabakh and other territories of Azerbaijan, Mammadzade said.

Latest

Latest