Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 14
By Ulker Dunyamaliyeva - Trend:
The so-called parliamentary election scheduled for May 3 by the separatist regime of Nagorno-Karabakh is a provocation, and Iran will never recognize its results, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Iran to Azerbaijan Mohsen Pak Ayeen said April 14 during a meeting with Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov, the press service of the defense ministry reported.
The ambassador said that Iran supports the territorial integrity and fair position of Azerbaijan.
Defense minister went on to add that meetings of heads of states play an important role in the development of relations between Iran and Azerbaijan and cooperation between the two countries in the defense sector continues to successfully expand.
Speaking about the military-political situation in the region, colonel-general said that Armenia continues its aggressive policy today as well, and delaying negotiations negatively affect the situation in the region.
Then the sides discussed the details of the working visit of Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan to Azerbaijan, which will be held April 20-21.
The meeting was also attended by the military attaché of Iranian Armed Forces in Azerbaijan, Colonel Amir Faraji Moez.
Earlier, the Azerbaijani foreign ministry called the 'parliamentary election' planned to be held by the separatist regime of Nagorno-Karabakh on May 3 as illegal.
"The upcoming "election" is a clear violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the norms and principles of international law," spokesman for the Azerbaijani foreign ministry Hikmet Hajiyev said. "This "election" is aimed at undermining the negotiation process on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement."
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 two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.