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Holding “presidential elections” in occupied Azerbaijani territories – another provocation (UPDATE 2)

Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict Materials 17 July 2017 13:33 (UTC +04:00)
Holding “presidential elections” in the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia is another political provocation
Holding “presidential elections” in occupied Azerbaijani territories – another provocation (UPDATE 2)

Details added (first version posted on 11:46)

Baku, Azerbaijan, July 17

Trend:

Holding “presidential elections” in the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia is another political provocation, Hikmat Hajiyev, spokesperson of Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry, told Trend July 17.

The “parliamentary elections” held on May 3, 2015, by the so-called regime created in the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia, and the “referendum on making amendments to the constitution”, dated February 20, 2017, were not recognized by the international community, noted Hajiyev.

Holding illegitimate “presidential elections” by the illegal “parliament” is nothing but self-deception, he added.

“Everyone is well aware that the criminal “leadership” of the illegal regime, as well as members of the “parliament” are appointed by the military and political authorities of Armenia and only act as puppets,” said the Azerbaijani official.

Holding illegal and falsified “presidential elections” is a violation of the Constitution and laws of Azerbaijan, norms and principles of international law, said the spokesperson.

As a continuation of the military provocations committed by Armenia along the line of contact between the troops in order to escalate the situation, these actions of Armenia are aimed at violating efforts to resolve the conflict on the basis of substantive negotiations, added Hajiyev.

All this proves once again that Armenia is not interested in a political solution to the conflict and is trying with all its might to maintain the status quo based on the occupation, he noted.

The only possible way to achieve a sustainable and long-term settlement is the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, as required by the UN Security Council resolutions, the return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their native lands, the restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within the internationally recognized borders, the joint peaceful residence of the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh within the borders of Azerbaijan, added the official.

Hajiyev added that the Armenian side, instead of wasting time and deceiving its people and the international community, should participate constructively in the process of resolving the conflict and fulfill its international obligations.

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.

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