Azerbaijani FM, UN secretary-general mull Nagorno-Karabakh peace deal

By Azernews

By Vafa Ismayilova

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have discussed the implementation of a trilateral peace agreement signed by Baku, Moscow and Yerevan to end the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

In a telephone conversation that took place on 17, Bayramov briefed Guterres on the fulfilment of the joint statement dated November 10 on the ceasefire and cessation of all hostilities, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reported.

The secretary-general was informed about the complete destruction and demolition of all infrastructure in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan, as well as the criminal acts being committed by illegal military units and illegal settlers in the territories to be returned back to the control of Azerbaijan soon, including damage to the environment, deforestation, burning of houses, looting of cultural monuments and etc, the report added.

Mentioning the need for large-scale work to restore the entire region, Minister Jeyhun Bayramov expressed the intention of Azerbaijan to cooperate with relevant international organizations, including the UN, as part of measures to be taken to this end.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underlined that the signing of a joint statement on the cessation of hostilities was welcomed.

The Secretary-General noted the important role that the United Nations could play in the rehabilitation of the territories, and stressed the importance of providing appropriate support for the return of IDPs to their homes.

During its 44-day counter-offensive operations between September 27-November 10, the Azerbaijani army liberated several cities and nearly 300 of its settlements and villages as well as some strategic heights from the occupation of Armenian forces.

Ninety-four Azerbaijani civilians have been killed and hundreds of others have been injured in Armenia's armed attacks.

About 20 per cent of Azerbaijan's territory – including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions – had been under Armenian occupation for nearly three decades.

Armenia failed to implement four UN Security Council resolutions that urged the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the invading forces from the occupied territories.

On November 10, Baku and Yerevan signed a Russia-brokered agreement to end fighting and work towards a comprehensive solution.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev hailed the agreement as a victory for his country and a defeat for Armenia, saying Baku's military success enabled it to gain an upper hand to end the three-decade occupation of its territory.