"Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh was not invited to participate in OSCE field assessment mission"

Representatives of the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh have not been invited to participate in the OSCE field assessment mission, a representative of the community, the rector of Baku Music Academy Farhad Badalbeyli said.

"Last time when we talked with Andrzej Kasprzyk, personal representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, in September, he personally promised me to include representatives of the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh in the OSCE mission, but the invitation has not come," said Badalbeyli.

According to him, most likely the role here is played by the Armenian side that oppose such visits, especially against the visits of people who lived in these areas and should personally check the condition of their homes in Gubadli, Aghdam, Zangilan, Fuzuli and other areas occupied by the Armenians.

"We strongly demand that they would give us the opportunity to look at our lands," he said.

According to Badalbeyli, if the assessment mission is at least 50% objective about the situation in the occupied territories, it will have a positive result for Azerbaijan. According to him, the last meetings of the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno Karabakh with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs were enough sharp.

"Over the recent period, the nerves of people already can not stand and the negotiation process, unfortunately, contributes to the radicalization of the society," he said.

If the summit in Almaty does not bring anything new to the negotiation process on Nagorno-Karabakh, the OSCE MG should resign, handing over the functions of negotiators to other international institutions, said Badalbeyli.

"We are more than patient people, but 17 years are more than enough for progress in negotiations," he said.

According to Badalbeyli, if the summit in Almaty will be inconclusive for negotiations over Nagorno-Karabakh, the matter should be promptly presented to the UN General Assembly. According to a statement made by the Minsk Group on Sept. 25, the OSCE Assessment Mission will visit the occupied territories of Azerbaijan in early October.

Following on their preliminary contacts with UN officials in Geneva and New York, the co-chairs formally invited UNDP and UNHCR experts to participate in the mission, the statement said.

The OSCE Assessment Mission examines the situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan on Azerbaijan's initiative. During their most recent visit, the co-chairs visited these areas and familiarized themselves with the situation. The mediators are expected to prepare a report on the current situation in the occupied lands.


/Trend/