Details added: first version posted on 17:46
BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 24. Those behind Ruben Vardanyan, a Russian billionaire of Armenian origin, have realized that putting him as "representative" of Armenian population has no prospects, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov said, Trend reports.
The minister noted that after the second Karabakh war, Azerbaijan is talking about a peaceful agenda and presented its vision of the future.
"In this context, from the first day there have been open, logical and consistent messages of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev about the readiness to begin the social, political and economic integration of residents of Armenian origin living in Karabakh into Azerbaijani society, as well as about the development of the region under the sovereignty of Azerbaijan,” he said.
“Therefore, the position of Azerbaijan in relation to a person who is trying to present himself as a "representative" of the Armenian population was that we are ready to talk with representatives of the population, but not with a person who has nothing to do with Karabakh, who appeared or was introduced from outside and plays a role in someone's game,” Bayramov explained.
“Such a person cannot be a representative of the population for us,” the minister also noted.
“In general, when discussing decisions regarding the reintegration process, it was repeatedly said that it would be carried out in formats consistent with the Constitution of Azerbaijan and within the framework of international treaties to which Azerbaijan is a party,” he further said.
“As it’s known, Armenia has been pursuing a policy of illegal settlement for a long time. There is no difference between Vardanyan and illegal settlers, because he has nothing to do with Karabakh," Bayramov added.
Vardanyan was dismissed from the so-called “post” in separatist regime in Azerbaijan’s Karabakh on February 23, 2023.