Naveed Ahmad Khan
ISLAMABAD: The Ambassador of Azerbaijan, Khazar Farhadov on Monday thanked Pakistan and Turkey for their unequivocal support in the Karabakh conflict with Armenia. “The Patriotic War put an end to Armenia’s nearly 30-year-long policy of aggression. Azerbaijan ensured its territorial integrity, and the fundamental rights of nearly one million displaced Azerbaijanis were restored. Azerbaijan alone ensured the implementation of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions of 1993,” he said.
He explained that last year, the Azerbaijani armed forces began taking responsive measures in response to another military provocation by the Armenian military. “These measures were undertaken within the framework of the right to self-defense. They were in full compliance with the international humanitarian law in order to prevent another military aggression from Armenia and to ensure the security of the civilian population. This marked the beginning of the 44-day Patriotic War,” the envoy said.
Since the early 1990s, he said, four UN Security Council resolutions and two UN General Assembly resolutions, as well as many international organizations, have demanded the “immediate, complete, and unconditional withdrawal of the occupying forces from the occupied Azerbaijani territory.”
Ambassador said Azerbaijan launched a counterattack in its own territories against Armenia, using the right to self-defense enshrined in Article 51 of the UN Charter. For 44 days, the Armenian armed forces intensively fired on the regions and cities along and also far from the frontline. Armenia used ballistic missiles such as the Scud and Iskander-M, as well as banned white phosphorus and cluster munitions. As a result of these Armenian war crimes, more than 100 civilians, including 11 children, were killed and more than 450 were injured. More than 12,000 civilian infrastructure, including individual houses, has been destroyed or severely damaged in Azerbaijan. Armenia has attracted mercenaries and foreign fighters from abroad and placed them against Azerbaijan.
He added, “In total more than 300 cities and villages were liberated on the battlefield. Armenia had to sign an act of capitulation on 10 November 2020. Accordingly, Armenia was obliged to withdraw its troops from the remaining part of Azerbaijan’s territories, namely Aghdam, Lachin and Kalbajar regions. Azerbaijan has implemented the above-mentioned UN Security Council resolutions. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was left in the past. There is no administrative territorial unit called Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan. Karabakh and East Zangazur economic zones were established by a decree of the President on July 7 this year”.
He informed Armenia has committed a serious ecocide in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. 60,000 hectares of our forests have been destroyed, cut down and transported, and lands and rivers have been polluted. Armenia has seriously polluted the tans-boundary river Oxchuchay, causing the degradation of the ecosystem of the riverine territory of Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, some foreign companies are also involved in this environmental crime. They must be held accountable for the illegal exploitation of our natural resources in our previously occupied lands.
He said about 4,000 citizens registered as missing during the First Karabakh War. Armenia must inform us about their fate. We have solid evidence that almost all of them were tortured to death by Armenian servicemen in violation of international humanitarian law and buried in mass graves. The Patriotic War under the leadership of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev that ended with a victory of the brave Azerbaijani Army, opened a new era in the history of the Republic of Azerbaijan, established international justice and changed the realities in the region.
After the liberation, Azerbaijan began to revive the liberated territories, which were completely destroyed by Armenia. Azerbaijan began to rebuild and restore its territories. In just 8 months, the Fizuli international airport was built in Azerbaijan, and work is underway in all the liberated territories.
He said during the Patriotic War government, Parliament and people of Pakistan morally and politically supported us condemning Armenian aggression and supporting Azerbaijan’s just position to restore its territorial integrity. This is a true demonstration of brotherhood. Azerbaijan supports the settlement of the Kashmir issue in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Answering a question, the envoy said the patriotic war that ended with a victory of the brave Azerbaijani Army, opened a new era, establishing international justice and changing realities in the region.
After the liberation, Azerbaijan began to revive the liberated territories, which were completely destroyed by Armenia, he said, adding his country began to rebuild and restore its territories and in just 8 months, the Fizuli international airport had been built in Azerbaijan, and work was underway in all the liberated territories.
Replying to another question, he said direct flights between Azerbaijan and Pakistan would be operational soon as the procedural work in that regard was almost completed, but unfortunately it delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions in both the countries.
He said efforts were underway to further promote the bilateral ties in diverse fields especially information technology, education, health, science and technology, logistics and defense.