Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 18
By Azad Hasanli – Trend:
Iran does not recognize Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region, occupied by Armenia, as an independent republic and considers it wrong to conduct "referendum" in that region, Mohammad Reza Najafi, spokesman for the Iranian embassy in Azerbaijan, told Trend Feb. 18.
He added that Iran considers any action that could be a threat to peace and security wrong.
"Iran’s principled position on the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is clear and transparent,” he said. “Iran supports the soonest settlement of the conflict within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and international law. We hope for the speedy settlement of the conflict and restoration of peace and security in the region."
"Referendum" on amendments to the "constitution" of the illegal regime is planned to be held in Nagorno-Karabakh region February 20.
Earlier, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry said the illegal “referendum” constitutes a clear violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the norms and principles of international law, and, therefore, has no legal effect whatsoever.
The ministry reiterated that the illegal regime established by Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan is ultimately nothing other than the product of aggression and occupation.
“This provocative step, as well as Armenia’s attempts to change the name of the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the integral part of Azerbaijan, is yet another clear manifestation that Armenia is not genuinely interested in seeking a political settlement of the armed conflict,” added the ministry.
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.