BAKU. Azerbaijan, September 4, An article by political scientist Jakko Laakso was published on a Finnish portal. The article provides extensive information about the history of the Karabakh conflict, the struggle for the liberation of Azerbaijani lands, the steps taken towards normalizing relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as the mine problems faced by our country in the Karabakh region, Trend reports.
The political scientist noted that the 44-day Patriotic War ended with a ceasefire brokered by Russia in November 2020 and that this war is known as the world's first war with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Laakson reported that in September 2023, the nearly thirty-year occupation of Azerbaijani territories ended with the capitulation of the Armenian armed forces in Karabakh.
The article emphasizes that the biggest problem Azerbaijan faces in the liberated territories is the presence of at least 1,500,000 buried mines and other explosive devices. Azerbaijan uses the experience of many countries to demining these territories. The Finnish politician noted that Azerbaijan has so far spent $349 million on demining, and Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, some European countries and the United States have shown support in this matter. According to the author, international experts claim that approximately 25 billion dollars are needed to completely clear the liberated territories of Karabakh.
Looking at the history of the Karabakh war, Jakko Laakso notes that in the 1990s, Armenian nationalists wanted to annex "Nagorno-Karabakh" to Armenia, while Karabakh was legally part of Azerbaijan. Having emphasized that not a single country in the world, including Armenia, has recognized the independence of "Nagorno-Karabakh" during the thirty-year period of occupation, the author pointed out that the so-called Minsk Group, created by the OSCE in 1992 with the aim of peacefully resolving the conflict, has proven ineffective.
The Finnish politician also noted that during the First Karabakh War, about 1 million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced persons. The author writes that after the anti-terrorist operation carried out by Azerbaijan in 2023, ethnic Armenians voluntarily left the territory of Karabakh. Although President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly guaranteed that their rights will be protected and that they will live in a tolerant society.
In his article, Jakko Laakso also reported on the reconstruction and construction work in the liberated territories, the return of internally displaced persons to their homes, the construction of new roads, power plants and tunnels.
The author notes that Azerbaijan and Armenia are currently working on signing a peace treaty. Azerbaijan is demanding that the other side amend the Constitution and renounce territorial claims.
The article also mentions that negotiations are underway between Azerbaijan and Armenia on border delimitation and demarcation. As reported by Jaakko Laakso, the Armenian Foreign Ministry stated that the countries have agreed on general principles for border demarcation. The Finnish politician also talks about the Azerbaijani villages on the border with Armenia, whose population was forced to resettle in the early 1990s, and the resistance of the Armenian opposition to the return of these villages to Azerbaijan.