World community does not recognize "elections" held by Garabagh separatists

By Mazahir Afandiyev

With a UN mandate, the OSCE Minsk Group has engaged in negotiations with Armenia and Azerbaijan for 30 years with the aim of settling the conflict while considering the Armenian community in Garabagh.

In order to implement the four well-known resolutions that the UN Security Council had adopted as a result of negotiations held in the Minsk Group format regarding the liberation of our lands that had been occupied by Armenia for 30 years, on September 27, 2020 Azerbaijan unilaterally removed part of the illegal armed groups that had occupied our lands. On November 10, after the 44-day Second Garabagh War, through the mediation of the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a cease-fire as well as the act of capitulation of Armenia.

The implementation of the Nine Point Statement is planned until 2025, and in the post-war period, practical measures were taken to implement these points. As a result, the fair victory of Azerbaijan was supported by all countries of the world, including Armenia, and it was confirmed that the agreement proposed by Azerbaijan during the negotiations in Moscow, Washington, and Brussels to sign the Peace Agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan complies with international principles. The Armenian government, led by Nikol Pashinyan, likewise declared that it upheld Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and made no territorial claims against it.

As the leading state in the South Caucasus, Azerbaijan closely and sensitively observes requests from all parties to maintain stability, long-term peace, and security in the area.

However, on September 9, in the Garabagh economic region of Azerbaijan, the so-called "regime" calling itself "artsakh" grossly violated the laws and the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the norms and principles of international law, and tried to carry out illegal activities in the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan under the guise of illegal "presidential elections" and elected a so-called "president".

A number of states and international organizations rightly condemned this. The "elections" held were condemned by the UK, Pakistan, Ukraine, Moldova, the European Union, and Turkiye, as well as many global and regional international organizations, and at the same time, such separatist-serving behaviors were viewed as unacceptable.

Countries around the world still condemn the illegal "elections".

Currently, neither the UN Charter nor the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan permit illegal organizations to exist on a state's sovereign territory, and the international community must vehemently denounce such instances.

Having put an end to 30 years of occupation, Azerbaijan has cleared its land of separatists and is currently successfully carrying out the reconstruction of all historical heritage monuments as well as religious denominations that were successively destroyed. The actions performed will improve the geopolitical and economic conditions for all subjects in the South Caucasus region and assure the wellbeing and a prosperous future for all the local inhabitants.

As Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev noted, "Garabagh Armenians must understand that, being part of Azerbaijani society, they will be provided with security guarantees and rights, including educational, cultural, religious, and municipal".

In general, all peoples and ethnic minorities living in Azerbaijan have the right to live freely and independently within the framework of the Constitution and laws of Azerbaijan, regardless of their religion, race, or nationality. In this regard, Armenians settled in Khankendi and adjacent areas of the Garabagh economic region and will be provided with residence on the territory of Azerbaijan within the framework of Azerbaijani laws and the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

Mazahir Afandiyev is the Member of the Milli Majlis (Azerbaijani Parliament).