Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 19 / Trend T. Hajiyev /
The military exercises held by the Armenian armed forces in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan are misleading, head of the Azerbaijani Community in Nagorno Karabakh Public Association Bayram Safarov told Trend.
"If the Azerbaijani army goes on the offensive, it will resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict once and for all," he said. "The Armenian president's statements made during the exercises are mere words and these exercises are fake."
The Armenian army carried out military exercises in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan this week. The exercises were attended by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. Addressing his troops, Sargsyan said the army is strong and will win in the event of a war.
Safarov also said that finances are needed for such exercises.
"The vehicles participating in these kinds of exercises need fuel," he said. "All types of military equipment must be available. The exercises are not a game to be carried out daily. The commissioning of two or three machines does not mean conducting exercises."
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994.
The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the United States - are currently holding negotiations to resolve the dispute.
Armenia has failed to implement U.N. Security Council resolutions stipulating the liberation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions.