BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 1. Azerbaijan is ready to continue negotiations on signing a peace treaty, said Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament (Milli Majlis) Sahiba Gafarova during a meeting with Chairwoman of the German Bundestag Bärbel Bas, Trend reports.
Sahiba Gafarova, who briefed the Bundestag chairwoman on the current situation in the region and the consequences of Armenia's 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani lands, stated that after liberating its territories from Armenian occupation, Azerbaijan began large-scale reconstruction and rehabilitation.
The Milli Majlis Speaker noted that the main impediment to progress is more than one million mines planted on Azerbaijani territory by Armenia during the occupation and later, saying that more than 340 Azerbaijanis have been killed by landmines in the last three years. Given that Azerbaijan is one of the most mine-contaminated countries, the significance of international funding for Azerbaijan's demining efforts was emphasized.
As Gafarova noted, Azerbaijan took the initiative to achieve long-term peace in the region by presenting five basic principles to Armenia for signing a peace treaty based on mutual recognition of each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, Armenia's political and military provocations, non-fulfillment of commitments made over the past three years, and consistent support for the illegal separatist regime established in the territory.
These steps were carried out in full accordance with international law, with no civilian casualties. The separatist regime was self-destructed as a result of these measures, and Azerbaijan reclaimed its sovereignty. According to Sahiba Gafarova, no government can allow the presence of a separatist entity on its territory. She stated that there are now no hurdles to Azerbaijan and Armenia negotiating a peace treaty. Azerbaijan is prepared to continue peace treaty negotiations.
Gafarova highlighted once more that Azerbaijan is ready for peace based on both countries' territorial integrity and sovereignty.
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