BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 31. Elchin Amirbayov,
Assistant to the First Vice-President of Azerbaijan, has printed
an article in E-newsletter, an American weekly on-line information journal,
Development reviews.
“The South Caucasus is the crossroads between resource-rich
Central Asia and resource-hungry European financial system. Peace between
Armenia and Azerbaijan will foster the prosperity not simply of the
Armenians and Azerbaijanis however of all Eurasia. The resounding
victory of Azerbaijan within the Second Karabakh Conflict of 2020 created an
historic alternative to show the web page, to depart hostilities behind
and normalize relations based mostly on worldwide legislation.
To grab this chance, the West should purchase a greater
consciousness of the irrefutable info on which the Azerbaijani views
are based mostly. Sadly, Armenia, its diaspora and overseas
supporters have not too long ago launched a propaganda marketing campaign designed to
obscure these info from view. The rapid objective of the marketing campaign
is to deliver American and European stress to bear on Baku. The
longer-term objective is to scuttle the peace course of that started in
November 2020, when Armenia acknowledged its defeat within the battle.
The disinformation marketing campaign focuses on occasions alongside the Lachin
Street, linking Armenia with the Karabakh area of Azerbaijan, and
it advances two fundamental claims. First, that “blockade” of the street,
which started on Dec. 12 by Azerbaijani environmental activists
created a humanitarian catastrophe, endangering the lives of ethnic
Armenians in Karabakh. Second, that it’s a part of a wider effort by
Azerbaijan to disclaim the Karabakh Armenians their rights and
safety.
Let’s take these deceptive claims in flip, beginning with the
alleged humanitarian disaster. Humanitarian shipments, together with
medicines, meals, and different important items, transfer simply into
Karabakh. Native civilians dealing with pressing medical and different important
wants can go away for Armenia and return alongside the street.
To stop any humanitarian disaster, Baku offers the Worldwide
Purple Cross unimpeded entry to the street. It additionally permits free
motion to Russian peacekeepers. Troopers of Russia, Armenia’s
best ally, are higher positioned than every other worldwide actor
to reassure Yerevan relating to the bodily safety of Karabakh
Armenians.
Which brings us to the second spurious declare, specifically, that
Azerbaijan is denying ethnic Armenians in Karabakh their rights.
Understanding why this can be a blatant falsehood requires historic
context, although it’s shortly instructed. Through the First Karabakh Conflict,
which led to 1994, Armenian forces occupied and ethnically
cleansed Karabakh and different surrounding Azerbaijani territories of
ethnic Azerbaijanis. They killed, raped, and tortured many a whole lot
of harmless civilians, driving over 800,000 individuals from their
properties, typically within the useless of winter, with the Khojaly bloodbath being
the height of this barbarity.
These crimes, dedicated with impunity and nonetheless awaiting
justice, have been properly documented whereas they occurred. Within the wake of
this, worldwide legislation and each main energy on the planet
reaffirms Karabakh as sovereign Azerbaijani territory, and full
restoration of efficient Azerbaijani management of Karabakh is seen as
the idea for a simply and lasting peace. Because of this, UN
Safety Council Resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 all demand the
“full, rapid and unconditional withdrawal” of Armenian
forces from the territory of Azerbaijan. (Even now, 10,000
Armenia’s troops stay in Karabakh—a time bomb threatening peace
and stability).
The UN issued these orders in 1993. For almost three a long time
Azerbaijanis waited patiently for the worldwide neighborhood to
implement them. In the meantime, Armenia performed for time, simply as it’s
doing now: speaking about peace, making ready for battle, and spreading
misinformation. Its forces looted Azerbaijani cities and villages,
erasing each signal of Azerbaijani cultural heritage, and plundered
its mineral sources.
By 2020, Azerbaijan’s endurance had worn skinny. Within the Second
Karabakh Conflict, it demonstrated its resolute dedication to reclaim
its stolen land.
Within the Trilateral Assertion of Nov. 10, 2020 (the settlement
signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia that
introduced the Second Karabakh to an finish), Armenia agreed to just accept
new actuality on the bottom and construct peace. Ever since, nevertheless,
Armenia has misused the Lachin street to export from Karabakh to
Armenia plundered Azerbaijani mineral sources; construct up its
army forces in Karabakh; infiltrate third-country nationals to
erect new fortifications; and smuggle in landmines to proceed its
terror towards Azerbaijanis.
These are usually not the actions of a rustic making ready for peace—and
Azerbaijan is all too acquainted with these ways. It won’t
allow Armenia, as soon as once more, to ensnare it in interminable
negotiations all of the whereas making ready for battle. As to the Lachin
street, transparency of any motion alongside it should be instantly
assured.
Time is of essence. Sane coverage grounded in actuality can nonetheless
stop new tragedies. Yerevan should cease counting on desires and
fantasies and cope with onerous info. Armenia and its allies should
cease utilizing the Armenians of Karabakh as pawns in a cynical sport of
energy politics. If these concerned in facilitating the peace course of
will learn the realities precisely, they will help Armenia keep away from the
errors of the previous and make the peace of the courageous”.
