Tehran, Iran, February 18
By Mehdi Sepahvand –- Trend:
A former Iranian MP says a planned February 20 “referendum” in Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region, occupied by Armenia, is by no means justified and will be a model for “the law of the jungle” in the world.
“How could it be right if you forcefully occupy a region, disturb the population makeup, lead about 800,000 people to homelessness, deploy forces in the area, and then announce that you are going to hold a “referendum” on the future of the area?” Mansour Haqiqatpour told Trend February 18.
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 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
“If things go on like this they will lead to global anarchy.... I think neither the global community nor the United Nations will accept this. The government and people of Azerbaijan have a right to make objections,” Haqiqatpour said.
“The exact territory of Nagorno-Karabakh region should be defined and then people who have been living there for long years should decide about its future,” the Iranian MP stressed.
Turkey, another neighboring power, also denounced the planned “referendum” in advance. Turkey will not recognize a “referendum” in Nagorno-Karabakh region, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said February 17.
In a statement, the ministry said that Ankara condemns the “referendum”, which will constitute a new violation of Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.