BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 21. Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has commented on the discussion of the situation on Azerbaijan's Lachin road at the UN Security Council, Trend reports on December 21.
"On December 20, the UN Security Council held discussions on the Lachin road situation. Despite Armenia's attempts to use the Security Council for the purpose of a manipulation campaign against Azerbaijan, the discussions have become another platform for the international community to become more aware of Azerbaijan's grounded concerns, including the deliberate and constant violation of Armenia’s obligations taken as part of the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020 [signed between Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders following the second Karabakh war],” the ministry said.
“In his statement, the representative of Azerbaijan [to UN Yashar Aliyev] rejected all accusations of Armenia in alleged blocking of the Lachin road by Azerbaijan, ‘blockade’ and ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ in relation to Armenian residents [of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh], saying that all these claims are absolutely false and unfounded,” the ministry noted.
Besides, the statement of Azerbaijan’s representative said that neither the Azerbaijani government nor the peaceful protesters blocked the Lachin road, the ministry added.
“The order of movement of citizens, vehicles and goods on the road remains unchanged, and peacekeepers [temporarily deployed in Azerbaijani territories in accordance with the trilateral statement] continue to fulfill their duties to regulate traffic on the road,” the ministry also said. “Videos posted on social media demonstrate the unhindered passage of various modes of transport, including ambulances and vehicles carrying humanitarian aid.”
According to the ministry, opinions about the alleged ‘humanitarian consequences’ of the situation are also false.
"There are no obstacles for the supply of goods or the provision of necessary medical services to the Armenian residents [living in Karabakh]. The fact is that in the past days the convoys of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) crossed the road without any obstacles. The Azerbaijani government has repeatedly declared its readiness to quickly solve all humanitarian problems of the Armenian residents, if necessary,” the ministry said.
“Based on the above, the Azerbaijani government is in close contact with the local representation of the ICRC. At the meeting of the UN Security Council, the Azerbaijani delegation informed in detail about the course of events which led to the start of a peaceful protest rally by a group of representatives of Azerbaijani NGOs in the territory of the temporary deployment of the peacekeeping contingent against the illegal exploitation of Azerbaijan's natural resources,” the ministry said.
“The Government of Azerbaijan, through dialogue, has taken a number of steps to eliminate the situation of illegal exploitation of mineral deposits in this territory, including its severe environmental consequences,” the ministry noted.
“On December 3 and 7, 2022, meetings were held between the relevant structures Azerbaijan and the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent in order to determine the conditions for on-site monitoring by Azerbaijani specialists and assess the environmental consequences of the illegal exploitation of the Gizilbulag and Damirli deposits,” the ministry reminded. “The meetings were also attended by local Armenian representatives, and Azerbaijani specialists an agreement was reached on a roadmap for this activity.”
“Following the agreement reached, the visit of a delegation of Azerbaijani specialists organized by peacekeepers was disrupted as a result of pre-planned steps by a group of people. This caused a fair protest of the Azerbaijani public,” the ministry explained.
“A group of Azerbaijani civil society representatives launched a peaceful protest rally on the Lachin road demanding to stop the illegal exploitation of the natural resources of Azerbaijan, the transportation of these resources from Azerbaijan to Armenia and the misuse of the Lachin road, which is intended only for humanitarian purposes,” the ministry also reminded.
According to the ministry, the illegal exploitation of natural resources contrary to the national legislation of Azerbaijan and relevant international documents is carried out with complete disregard for the relevant environmental standards, thereby causing serious and irreparable damage to the ecological system.
“This also violates the rights of a private foreign company which signed agreements on exploitation of these mineral deposits with the government of Azerbaijan,” the ministry emphasized.
“All the above facts are a justified and reasonable matter of concern for the entire Azerbaijani society. Therefore, various civil society organizations and citizens of Azerbaijan legally demand to stop the exploitation of the national wealth of the Azerbaijani people, and the organization of the environmental damage monitoring by relevant specialists,” the ministry noted.
“This is due to not only Armenia's constant non-fulfillment its obligations to cease hostilities and withdraw all its armed formations from the territory of Azerbaijan, but also the abuse of the Lachin road for illegal military and other activities, including the illegal export of Azerbaijan's resources,” the ministry also said.
“Contrary to the trilateral statement, Armenia, carrying out illegal military operations on the territory of Azerbaijan, hasn’t completely withdrawn its forces from the territory of Azerbaijan and continues to place a large number of anti-personnel mines, including those produced in Armenia in 2021, on the territory of our country,” the ministry explained.
According to the ministry, the placement of mines has led to an increase in the number of victims not only along the former line of contact, but also in other territories. As a result, since the end of the second Karabakh war, 276 of Azerbaijani citizens, including three journalists, suffered from mines, 46 citizens, including 35 civilians, died.
“Practically all statements by the member states of the UN Security Council called for the fulfillment of obligations under the trilateral statement. Given the clear violation of these obligations by Armenia, such appeals of the members of the UN Security Council must finally be heard and implemented by Armenia,” the ministry further said.
“Of great importance is also the fact that the majority of the members of the UN Security Council called for the continuation of negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan in order to normalize relations,” the ministry noted. “We highly appreciate the calls for mutual recognition of sovereignty and territorial integrity by Armenia and Azerbaijan as the basis of this process, including in the context of border delimitation.”
“At the same time, it’s deeply disappointing that some member states of the UN Security Council do not hesitate to demonstrate a biased, one-sided position. Of particular concern is the incorrect indication of part of Azerbaijan’s territory [calling Karabakh as ‘Nagorno-Karabakh’],” the ministry emphasized.
According to the ministry, during the discussions at the UN Security Council it was noted Azerbaijan rejects such references considering them as interference in its internal affairs, as well as a violation of the relevant UN requirements regarding the use of geographical names.
“Azerbaijan once again calls on these states to comply with the obligations arising from the UN Charter and international law, to refrain from any statements directed against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within internationally recognized borders,” the ministry noted.
“As noted at the UN Security Council meeting, Azerbaijan is committed to regional peace, stability and development. The position of Azerbaijan in this regard is clear, principled and consistent, based on international law and established international practice,” the ministry said.
“We reiterate our call to the international community to persuade Armenia to respond to Azerbaijan's proposal, stop political and military provocations, abandon aggressive rhetoric and actions, approach direct negotiations with good will to find a peaceful diplomatic solution to all issues within the framework of interstate relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia," the ministry concluded.