Azerbaijan sends letter to UN Secretary General over so-called "presidential elections" in Nagorno-Karabakh

Azerbaijan, Baku, May 8 /Trend M. Tsurkov/

Permanent Representative of Azerbaijan to the UN Agshin Mehdiyev sent a letter to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon over so-called "presidential elections" in Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, permanent mission told Trend.

The letter notes that according to media reports the Republic of Armenia is planning to hold so-called "presidential elections" on July 2012 in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan Republic.

"At the international level, including the General Assembly and the Security Council, it was recognized that the Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts of Azerbaijan are under Armenian military occupation. Armenia used military force to occupy the Azerbaijani territory and create separatist puppet formation on the basis of ethnic, which, ultimately, is nothing but a product of aggression and racial discrimination, and it exist due to political, military, economic and other support from Armenia. Illegality of separatist formation and its structures has been repeatedly reaffirmed at the international level. This formation is not recognized by anyone - in fact, it is under the direction and control of the Republic of Armenia ", - the document says.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly stated that, despite the political efforts to achieve a negotiated settlement, the policy and practical steps taken by Armenia, the occupying power, through, in particular, various illegal activities in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, clearly indicate its intention to secure the annexation of these territories, said Mehdiyev in a letter.

"It is not the first time that Armenia frankly disregarding the UN Charter and fundamental principles of international law and relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and Security Council, as well as the Constitution and national legislation of Azerbaijan holds the so-called "elections" in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. However, it is well known that democracy can not be spread by the sword, as an illegal act can not provide legal rights. Therefore, under conditions of continuing aggression, occupation and ethnic cleansing in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, the organization of an electoral process can not be a priori considered as legitimate and can not serve as basis for imposing a unilateral solution "- the letter says.

It also notes that the international community unequivocally condemned all previous "elections" in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. "In this regard, my Government hopes that the United Nations and its member states will vote against the provocative and illegal acts that violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, show disrespect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and undermine the ongoing political efforts to resolve the conflict. We urge the international community to demand that the government of Armenia to stop its destructive policy of annexation and ethnic cleansing, not to attempt to discredit the peace process and put an end to the occupation of Azerbaijani territories, "- said the envoy.

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 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.