BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 15
Trend:
Azerbaijan, as a victorious country, is ready to normalize relations. We do hope that the Armenian leadership will not pass up on this historic opportunity, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said addressing the session of the Council of Heads of State of the Commonwealth of the Independent States held in the format of a video conference, Trend reports.
“During the years of occupation, I repeatedly stated that the occupied territories were being used for drug trafficking and training of international terrorists. It is a proven fact today. I would like to touch upon the issue of the so-called “Armenian prisoners of war”. Azerbaijan handed over all the prisoners of war detained during the war earlier than Armenia handed over Azerbaijani prisoners of war to us. More than two weeks after the signing of the Trilateral Statement, at the end of November last year, a sabotage group of 62 people infiltrated the rear of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in the already liberated territories from the Shirak region of Armenia to commit sabotage. It was disarmed and captured by Azerbaijani servicemen. In accordance with international conventions, these saboteurs cannot be considered prisoners of war,” President Aliyev said.
“War and the conflict are things of the past now. We are ready to start negotiations with Armenia on the delimitation of the border on the condition of mutual recognition of territorial integrity. We are also ready to start negotiations on a peace agreement with Armenia. Azerbaijan, as a victorious country, is ready to normalize relations. We do hope that the Armenian leadership will not pass up on this historic opportunity,” the head of state said.