“Azerbaijan is a victorious state in the Second Karabakh War, Armenia was expelled from the occupied territories, and today rapid reconstruction work is being carried out in those territories. About 25,000 ethnic Armenians live in the territory of Azerbaijan, where Russian peacekeepers are responsible, and they are Azerbaijan citizens as our President said. It is very important for Armenia to come to terms with these realities. The long policy of occupation paralyzed the whole region. The new position established by Azerbaijan is favorable not only for the region, but also for the whole region, and the only way out of the crisis in Armenia is to accept the proposals of the victorious state.
This opinion was expressed by the chairman of the Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation (ATUC), MP Sattar Mohbaliyev.
Mohbaliyev noted that the Azerbaijani side has repeatedly stated its readiness for talks. According to him, the head of state spoke about this in an interview with the Spanish news agency EFE on October 2: “Of course, the solution of further problems and open issues is through negotiations. First of all, the implementation of joint statements must be ensured, communications must be opened, and delimitation and demarcation of borders must begin. Processes require it. Armenia’s reversal may aggravate the situation. This will aggravate the already difficult situation in Armenia. Azerbaijan’s position has always been constructive and aimed at the comprehensive development of the region as a whole. Our country also supports the “3 + 3” platform for regional cooperation put forward by Turkey. This is extremely important for the future development of the region. It is unfortunate that Armenia’s position on this issue is still there.
The MP stressed that Azerbaijan respects all norms of international law. He noted that Armenians captured during the war were treated in accordance with international law: “Those centuries were handed over to their countries shortly after the end of the war. Today, those people, whom Armenia unjustifiably call captives, are criminals who have been convicted in accordance with the law. No principle of international law has been violated in this matter either. The biggest crime is that Armenia has not yet provided the Azerbaijani side with full maps of the mined areas. Mr. President often touches on this. Because more than 1 million people want to return to their ancestral homeland, which was liberated from occupation. Landmines and the failure to provide mine maps to date slow down the reconstruction work and waste time.
Mohbaliyev added that today the Southern Gas Corridor project plays an important role in ensuring Europe’s energy security and is one of the priority energy projects for the European Union. According to him, Azerbaijani gas is more reliable and long-lasting for Europe, as well as affordable.