“Azerbaijan is ready to normalize relations with Armenia”

The ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Argentina, Rashad Aslanov, assured that his country was “ready to normalize relations with Armenia and negotiate a peace agreement.”

He did so through a note sent to Clarín, in response to a letter from his Armenian colleague, Hovhannes Virabyan, published by this newspaper under the title “Denial is a continuation of genocide and the absence punishment yields new crimes. “

In his text, the diplomatic representative of Azerbaijan said that “as is well known, through the joint declaration signed on November 10, 2020 by the Presidents of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, the 44-days The Second Karabakh War ends and Azerbaijan liberates part of its sovereign territory that has been under Armenian military occupation for almost three decades.This is also an important fact at the international level because the Azerbaijani side , in its own way and will, has managed to implement the UN Security Council resolutions passed in 1993, which have been awaiting fulfillment for 27 years.

“Today, one of the most important challenges facing my country is to clean up our liberated territories from landmines planted by Armenian forces and rebuild our towns and cities that were destroyed as a result of urbicide and ecocide. of them. forces. More than 1 million ethnic Azerbaijanis who have been cleared in these territories, evacuated from their homes for 28 years, are hoping at this moment of a great return. ”

On the other hand, Ambassador Aslanov said, “Azerbaijan has proposed the normalization of relations with Armenia based on five principles, which Armenia has also accepted. The first two of these principles stipulate 1) -mutual recognition of sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of the borders; 2) – no claim to the territory and refrain from making such claims in the future “.

“Today, the existence of a territorial claim against my country, upheld by an Ambassador representing Armenia saying‘ Karabakh, the historic Armenian province of Artsakh ’, which I totally deny, is incomprehensible,” he said.

He indicated that “Armenians from Iran have settled in the Azerbaijani territories of Zangazur and Karabakh. For this purpose, I would like to inform you that my close relatives are from the village of Mehmandar of the Zangazúr region. , who currently remain in Armenia. Unlike the Armenians who settled in Karabakh, they are descendants of the original people who historically lived in that territory. “

“Despite all the painful moments, despite the occupation and despite all the atrocities committed against our population, my country believes that this is necessary for the prosperous future of the region. Unfortunately, the irreconcilable attitude of the Armenian community, which enjoys a good position and enjoys a good life both in Argentina and in other countries, remains unchanged and remains at odds with the realities of the region, destroying the fragile peace process. For three decades, this stance has brought nothing but poverty and economic decline for the people of Armenia, ”the Azerbaijani ambassador said.

“Azerbaijan is ready to normalize relations with Armenia and negotiate a peace agreement. Currently, Azerbaijan is promoting the beginning of a new era of peace and cooperation, setting out its agenda, which, in turn, has been accepted. of Armenia the five basic principles proposed by Azerbaijan.In the last direct telephone conversation of the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia on April 25, 2022, the parameters of the participants in the Joint Border Commission and the conduct of its meetings , as well as the meetings of the Working Group, were agreed upon in preparing a peace agreement ”.

And finally, Ambassador Aslanov concluded: “I think it is very important that the Ambassador of Armenia, for the sake of the people of the country he represents, act by contributing to an agenda of establishing peace, coexistence and building good neighborhood relations, avoiding making speeches that threaten the territorial integrity of neighboring countries ”.