The Parliament of Finland held hearings on Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict

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Mətbuat xidmətinin məlumatı 11 November, 2012

The delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Republic, Chair of the State Committee on Deals of Refugees and IDPs – Ali Hasanov was at the Parliament of Finland (Eduskunta), Helsinki on the initiative of Azerbaijan- Finland Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group. On November 7, at the Parliament of Finland, there were held hearings on “Nagorno Karabakh conflict – occupied and forgotten territories” in relation to discussion of draft resolution on results of military aggression of Armenia against our country. The head of Azerbaijan-Finland Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group Eero Lehti opened the event and mentioned cooperation between Azerbaijan and Finland was at top level. Finland recognized the independence of Azerbaijan in 1991 and diplomatic relations were built in 1992. However economic relations are not so eligible and we have great potential to expand these relations. Eero Lehti said that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict discussed at the Parliament of Finland was not sufficiently covered in Finnish mass media. Nagorno Karabakh conflict lasting 20 years cannot be regarded as frozen conflict, since innocent people are still killed. This is an international problem, because the fact that it remains unsolved has negative effect not only on the region, but also on the whole world. The conflict should be controlled within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the world community supports such idea. Eero Lehti stated that the hearing aims at discussing once again the problem of Nagorno Karabakh which was one of the serious conflicts in the region. Finland, in its turn, can have a role in settling the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Elkhan Suleymanov, the head of the delegation of Azerbaijan and MP made a speech at the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, and thanked to the members of the Parliament of Finland for holding the seminar which was of great importance for Azerbaijan. Finland is one of the active members of European Union and has great experience in building legal state. It is necessary to apply the experience of Finland in expanding the democracy in Azerbaijan and establishment of relevant institutions. The speaker gave wide information about the history of the state of Azerbaijan and stated that Azerbaijan developed as a country where variety of people, nations and religions existed peacefully, cultures joined and no mutual hatred existed. Speaking about Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Elkhan Suleymanov underlined that settlement of the conflict pursuant to the international legal standards was one of the priorities of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy. Resolutions made by international organizations have not yet been fulfilled. According to those documents, 20 percent of territory of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia has become uncontrolled zones. Rights of Azerbaijani people in these areas have been infringed, occupation forces have carried out the policy of ethnic cleansing, and more than one million people have become refugees and IDPs. E.Suleymanov stated that Finland may be more active and take a serious position in settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict in accordance with principles of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and international legal standards. The Parliament of Finland, making relative resolution on this problem, may require international organizations to fulfil those documents. While making a speech, honourable member of PACE Jaakko Laakso stated that considering the Nagorno Karabakh conflict a frozen conflict was not right because of frequent conflicts in the region, women’s and children’s being killed by sniper bullets. The risk of war has recently increased. The Government of Finland, within international law, may help to achieve peace in the region. Jaakko Laakso stated that he supported the negotiations on settlement of the conflict through peace from the standpoint of principle of territorial integrity. Unfortunately, activity of the OSCE Minsk Group has not caused any changes regarding the conflict. Jaakko Laakso spoke about the humanitarian tragedy and paid attention to the problem of over one million refugees and IDPs who couldn’t go back to their native lands. He stated that the government of Finland should assist in settling the conflict in the near future and establishing peace and progress in the region. Then the Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Republic, Chair of the State Committee on Deals of Refugees and IDPs – Ali Hasanov made a speech: Distinguished Mr Chairman: Distinguished Members of Parliament: Ladies and Gentlemen: Let me expresson behalf of the Government of Azerbaijan my sincere thanks to the Parliament of Finland and Mr.EeroHeinaluoma, Speaker of Parliament, Mr. EeroLehti, Head of Finland-Azerbaijan Friendship Group for organizing this event dedicated to the issue of paramount importance to our nation. Taking this opportunity I would like to bring into your attention some information related to Armenian-Azerbaijani, Nagorno Karabakh conflict and its consequences. In the course of last two hundred years, as a result of complicated political processes taking place in the region of South Caucasus, Azerbaijanis were subjected several times to exodus from their ancestral lands accompanied by ethnic cleansing and deportation. Starting from the beginning of XIX century, the outcomes of systematic polices of the Tsarist Russia occupying Caucasus have resulted in a massive move of Armenians from the territories of neighboring countries into Azerbaijan, including the territory of Nagorno Karabakh, and it has definitely led to huge alteration of demographic situation in these lands in early XX century. Armenians have started to realize their plans stage by stage on the basis of their groundless territorial claims against Azerbaijan. During the events that unfolded in the years of 1905-1907 and 1918-1920, military troupes and violent actions were used for mass manslaughter of thousands of Azerbaijanis. Villages with compact Azerbaijani population were plundered while driving local residents out of their homes and turning them into refugees and IDPs. Declaring its independence on May 28, 1918, Azerbaijan had once again to face territorial claims of Armenian nationalists. They have invented an idea of creating an Armenian State in the territory of the Irevan Khanate which made the part of Russia as a pure Azerbaijani region. At that time, Azerbaijani politicians were obliged to go for several concessions due to historical realities. This has resulted in the creation of the small Republic of Armenia with a total area of 9.7 thousand square kilometers in the territory of the Irevan Khanate (later named as the IrevanGuberniya /Province/) in 1918. Later on, its territory has been gradually enlarged at the expense of territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan by reaching 29.8 thousand square kilometers. This hostile policy has continued even in the aftermath of occupation by the Soviet Russia. Thus, the territory of Armenia has been enlarged at the expense of lands of the Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan by decisions of Soviet authorities taken in different years. Azerbaijani population living historically in Armenia was deported in mass numbers with human lossesunder different pretexts. Following the establishment of Soviet power in Azerbaijan on 28 April 1920, Armenians did not abandon their villain wishes and continued territorial claims against Azerbaijan. In 1923, Moscow helps to establish the Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Province in the territory of Azerbaijan scarcely populated by Armenians. At that epoch, administrative frontiers of the Autonomous Province were drawn in a manner enabling the quantitative majority of local Armenians. Despite “sensitive” attitude of the then Soviet authorities to granting the status of autonomy to the small number of Armenians in the territory of Azerbaijan, the Soviet Republic of Armenia did not take the same step for hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis settled compactly in their historical lands located in the territory of Armenia. This has led to another exodus of Azerbaijanis from their historical lands and triggered a new stage of ethnic cleansing policy against them. As a result, almost two million of our fellow countrymen had to leave their historical Motherland in different periods of XX century and become displaced persons and victims of ethnic cleansing policy.During that period, under the pretext of clarifying the frontiers, Azerbaijani villages came gradually to be included into Armenia. Local Azerbaijani population of villages had been obliged to quit their forefathers’ lands under various reasons. On the basis of the decision of the Soviet of Ministers of former USSR dated 23 December 1947, around 150 thousand Azerbaijanis were also expelled from the lands of their origin. To alter and falsify the history and change historical names of Azerbaijani lands as well as to turn Armenia into a mono-ethnic State were the integral parts of their aggressive policy. Indeed, using this way, thousands of Azerbaijani toponyms in Armenia were erased on maps from 1935 to 1989. Following the election of Mikhail Gorbachev as the head of Soviet Union in 1985, Armenians became more and more active in realizing their claims of “the Great Armenia” using their links with a new leader. In the years of 1988-1992, the latest ethnic cleansing policy against Azerbaijanis in the territory of Armenia was marked by unseen cruelty and violence. 250 thousand of our compatriots were expelled from their native lands and had to live as refugees since then. In 1988, Armed Forces of Armenia relying on the assistance of their patrons have started again to promote the idea of attaching Nagorno Karabakh, the integral part of Azerbaijan, to Armenia. On February 20, 1988, Armenian members of the Soviet of Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Province have filed their address to the Parliaments of Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as USSR People’s Deputies Soviet to take the province out of Azerbaijan and include it into the Soviet Republic of Armenia. Though this address in full contradiction with the then Constitution of the Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan and USSR was rejected by the Supreme Soviet of USSR, Armenian nationalists did not give up their plans to cut this province from Azerbaijan and resorted to violence, ethnic cleansing and terrorist acts against Azerbaijani civilian population living in Armenia and NagornoKarabakh,so as to to drive it out of their homes and ensure the best conditions for attaching Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia. The breakdown of USSR in 1991 has opened up an opportunity to Armenian military groups acting already as an organized army institution to start large scale military operations in the territory of Nagorno Karabakh. As a result of military aggression of Armenian Armed Forces against Azerbaijan in the years of 1988-1993, 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands – Nagorno Karabakh and 7 adjacent administrative regions such as Lachin, Kalbajar, Agdam, Fizuli, Jabrayil, Gubaly and Zanghilan as well as many living districts located along the frontier with Armenia were subjected to occupation. This has resulted inmore than one million of our fellow compatriots becoming refugees and IDPs. Hundreds of our compatriots were killed and taken hostage by Armenian aggressors. Territories fallen under occupation have become deserted places. All infrastructures were destroyed. Graveyards and mosques were razed to grounds. Toponyms were changed by Armenians. Indeed, during this period, we witness one of the most appalling tragedies of XX century. During just one night from 25 to 26 February 1992, armed groups of Armenia in the Nagorno Karabakh territory of Azerbaijan have perpetrated the genocide crime against Azerbaijanis of the city of Khojaly under the leadership of current President of Armenia SerzhSargsyan, former leader of Armenia Robert Kocharyan and other Armenian activists assisted by the Soviet 366th motorized regiment equipped with sophisticated weaponry and located in Khankendi. The consequences were extra grave: 613 civilians, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 elderly people were tortured and murdered very brutally due to their Azerbaijani origins. 487 persons became invalids for life. 1275 city residents were taken into hostage and subjected to unprecedented tortures. Fate of150 persons out of hostages, including 68 women and 26 children still remains unknown. Thus, 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory is still occupied by Armed Forces of Armenia. Up to one million of Azerbaijani men and women live still as refugees and IDPs after they were ousted from their native lands. Military operations have resulted in the death of ten thousands of persons, including civilians, women, children and elderly people. According to preliminary assessment of international organizations, this conflict has caused a damage of almost 300 billion US dollars to Azerbaijani economy. The origins of this conflict that is a matter of great concern not only for us, but also for the entire international community are groundless territorial claims of Armenian nationalists against Azerbaijan. This is, in fact, the contemporary stage of the historical process that lasts for a long time.Thus, the illusion of “the Great Armenia” professed by Armenian nationalists by using lands of neighboring peoples causes tragedies still going on today in this region. The conflict has caused a grave humanitarian tragedy. People expelled from their native lands had to live in miserable and appalling conditions. At that time, the newly independent Republic of Azerbaijan had to face a deep economic crisis and the problem of over one million refugees and internally displaced persons. I would like to point out that the Government of Azerbaijan has made tremendous efforts and continues to do so in legal, social and economic fields to meet the needs of refugees and IDPs which are the most vulnerable strata of Azerbaijani population. In December 1992, the Republic of Azerbaijan joined the 1951 UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its Protocol of 1967 which enabled us to build a full legal basis on the basis of international law norms in solving social problems of refugees and IDPs. Successful economic reforms and oil strategy implemented in the country created possibilities to increase gradually amount of public funds allocated to this field. The first funds allocated by the State Oil Fund in 2001 were indeed channeled to improve housing conditions of refugees and IDPs and helped to undertake successive and comprehensive measures in this respect. The very last of 12 tent camps existed previously in the country were liquidated in December 2007. At the same time, IDPs living in 9 settlements composed of temporary prefabricatedhouses over the previous period were moved to new residential settlements. In general, over the past period, 76 settlements with all social and technical infrastructures were built for 26 thousand families of refugees and IDPs covering 130 thousand persons in total. Currently, the work intensively continues in this direction. Overall, the funds in the amount of 5.3 billion USD were allocated in the years of 1993-2012 to solve social problems of refugees and IDPs. The breakdown of this figure is as following: 3.0 billion USD from the State Budget; 1.375 billion USD from the State Oil Fund and 930 million USD from international humanitarian and development organizations. The volume of funds allocated per IDP-capitaterms in 2011 was 6 times more in comparison with the year of 2003. This level is nearly equal to 894USD which is the highest indicator vis-à-vis other conflict zones in the world. Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees has visited our country two times and noted improvement of living conditions for refugees and IDPs by the Azerbaijani State. He has underlined the steps taken by Azerbaijan to ensure refugees’ rights and said that it could be considered as a positive model for countries facing similarproblems. He has pointed out in particular: “The work done by Azerbaijan for refugees and IDPs is very important. There are countries in the world that do not assist refugees and IDPs and try to hit their political targets by exposing their miserable conditions to the entire world. Unlike those countries, Azerbaijani authorities undertake exemplary measures to improve conditions for IDPs”. Today, the Government of Azerbaijan does whatever it can to meet directly the needs of IDPs. On a temporary basis, it takes steps to ensure employment and other opportunities for them in the places of their residences. It goes without saying that all such achievements were not that easy for the Government of Azerbaijan, and the problem is not solved fully. 400 thousand IDPs still live in facilities not suitable for living. They live in difficult conditions. In this regard, Azerbaijan still needs the support of international organizations and donors. Azerbaijan takes one of the first places in the world in IDPs per capita terms. It is an extreme burden to take care of more than a million refugees and IDPs. The only resolution of this problem is the liberation of Azerbaijani lands occupied by Armenia and the return of IDPs to their native homes. However, in spite of 18year period elapsed since the ceasefire, 700 thousand IDPs in Azerbaijan have not been able to return to their homes due to the non-constructive position of Armenia. However, all these measures are still not enough to ensure rights of IDPs. Stemming out from international law, each refugee and IDP has the right to return properly to the permanent place of residence and use freely their properties. All these rights have been violated in massive manner by Armenia which keeps NagornoKarabakh and neighboring regions under its occupation. This year, we celebrate the 21st anniversary of our independence. During this period of time, Azerbaijan has made a serious progress seriously in all fields. Social and economic might of our country has improved considerably. It has broadly increased its popularity. Its integration into world countries has speeded up. Azerbaijan has become a venue for many high level international events. Effective and transparent co-operation with international institutions is built and ensured. According to the Global Competition Report, in 2011 Azerbaijan was the first country among CIS States and elevated to the 55th place among 142 countries. According to this Report, our country is ranked as 14th by “labor market effectiveness” and 16th by “macroeconomic stability” parameters. As a result of relevant measures undertaken so far, the poverty level has dropped from 9.1% of 2010 to 7.6% of 2011. During 9 months of current year, the economy grew by 1.1%, non-oil sector by 10.3% and agriculture by 6.3%. 16 billion USD were invested into the national economy. 83 percent of national economy is ensured by private sector. According to the forecast of the World Economic Forum, Azerbaijan is ranked as 18th by macroeconomic stability in Global Competitiveness Index of 2012-2013. It has upgraded its rating by 9 points in comparison with previous year and took the 46th place in competitiveness table. Inflation is just 1.5%. Population’sincome increased by 13.6%. Being included into the category of countries with upper-medium income and high human development, Azerbaijan has been transformed into a leader of the region and became the first and only country by investment credit rating in South Caucasus. Currently, the most important economic issue as defined by Mr.IlhamAliyev, the President of Azerbaijan is to double GDP at the expense of development of non-oil sector in the coming ten years and bring the share of the non-oil sector in GDP to 80 percent. All these factors - election of Azerbaijan as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2011 with the support of 155 countries, insertion of Item on the support of 120 member-countries of Non Alignment Movement to the only way of resolution of the conflict via the restoration of our territorial integrity in its Final Document, first place won in the Eurovision Song Contest and election of Azerbaijan as a full-fledged member to another prestigious international organization as the Executive Committee of UNHCR are testimonies to my statement. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen: As it has been repeatedly declared by Mr.IlhamAliyev, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan has got the only problem today– that is Armenian-Azerbaijani, NagornoKarabakh conflict. There is a comprehensive legal basis for the resolution of this conflict. In 1993, the UN Security Council adopted four resolutions on the soonest resolution of the conflict by peace, liberation of occupied territories and return of refugees and IDPs to their native lands. The aggressive policy of Armenia is condemned in decisions and resolutions passed by the Council of Europe, NATO, Organization of Islamic Co-operation, European Parliament and other important international organizations. All these resolutions demand withdrawal of Armed Forces from Azerbaijani territories and restoration of right of return for refugees and IDPs deprived of their ancestral homes. There are more than 20 years that negotiations are going on with the support of the OSCE Minsk Group. The conflict resolution should be based upon international law norms and The Helsinki Final Act. These decisions and resolutions are very clear. Unfortunately, they are not implemented yet. Ignoring demands of international community and keeping still its destructive position, Armenia continues to run illegal activities in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Ceasefire regime is constantly violated at the contact line of troupes between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Serious obstacles are created for normal life of population living in regions adjacent to the line of contact. It is mostly Azerbaijan that suffers more of this conflict. Demographic, social and administrative structures are altered in the occupied NagornoKarabakh and surrounding regions. Following visits to those territories, OSCE’s two Fact Finding Missions have confirmed a total destruction in the occupied lands and settlement of ethnic Armenians from other countries to those territories, contrary to international humanitarian law. The rehabilitation and forced settlement process by Armenians is still going on these lands. Being the real panorama of this conflict, this situation is caused by Armenia. State and private owned facilities as well as natural resources located in the occupied territories are exploited illegally. In this regard, Armenia attempts to organize civil aviation flights by restoring illegally the airport of Khojaly located in the occupied territories. Contrary to international law norms and principles, particularly to the Chicago Convention on Civil Aviation, Armenia’s attempts are aimed at violating conflict settlement process and exacerbate a very fragile situation in the regioneven more. At the same time, drugs are cultivated and grown in the territories beyond our control.Various dangerous types of transnational crime happen in the said zone. It transforms into a suitable transit route for a large quantity of Afghan narcotics to CIS and European countries. Therefore, we asked the UN Office on Drugs and Crime to conduct monitoring in the occupied territories. We think that such cases are very dangerous not only for Azerbaijan, but for the entire region and international community as a whole. Therefore, international organizations and world’s leading powers dealing with the conflict resolution during long period of time should force those who violates international law to put an end to their hostile policy, give up double standards and injustice, demonstrate a principal position, take steps based on international law and achieve the restoration of peace and justice in the region by ensuring territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Therefore, I would like to reiterate here the position of Azerbaijan stated earlier on many occasions at the highest level. Stemming from international law norms and principles, Azerbaijan is of an opinion that the conflict can find its long lasting resolution via self-administration,within Azerbaijan,that can guarantee equal rights and freedoms for both Azerbaijani and Armenian communities and their peaceful coexistence on the basis of international practice. As stated by the President of Azerbaijan, we stand ready to apply the most progressive experience that exists in the world and Europe in this field. Despite this fact, Armenian side impedes by any means the return of Azerbaijani population of this region to their native lands and does not allow implementation of proposals on several occasions by Azerbaijan to build a dialogue between Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of NagornoKarabakh. In this regard, contrary to international law norms and principles and decisions taken on the conflict, Armenia attempts to use ongoing occupation of Azerbaijani territories as means of pressure in talks. Armenia tries to maintain a status-quo. All of their provocative actions and statements have the only goal which is to delay the resolution of conflict. They have got to understand one thing: they will not be able to keep this status quo as they did during last several years. Armenian-Azerbaijani, NagornoKarabakh conflict which is one of main obstacles for durable stability and regional co-operation can be solved only on the basis of sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Notwithstanding lack of any results from the talks which continued for the last 20 years, we hope that this conflict will find its resolution in the near future thanks to a more firm and consistent position of international community. An internationally recognized territorial integrity of Azerbaijan will be restored by installing durable peace, security and co-operation climate in the region. Azerbaijan is a country of tolerance. Throughout the centuries, notwithstanding its public and political structure, peoples of various cultures have lived in our country as one family. Azerbaijan never had any confrontation or clash on national or religious backgrounds. There was never any discrimination. Today, independent Azerbaijan remains committed to these traditions. In conclusion, I highly value this very important event organized for us and express my sincere thanks once again for this invitation to the Parliament of Finland and each one of you. The former European Union Special Representative to Caucasus, Ambassador Heyikki Talvitie made a speech at hearings, as well. He said that the negotiations held for settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group were not fruitful. Activity of strong Armenian lobby in countries represented in the Minsk Group is a ground for discontent of Azerbaijan in this regard. Then the discussions started. The members of the Parliament of Azerbaijan taking part in debates brought to attention that Armenia had lost rather than won by occupying the territories of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan isolated Armenia from all international and regional projects. The Deputy Minister of Economic Development Sevinj Hasanova dealt with dynamic development of our country in her report on “Azerbaijan’s economic outlook”. Mentioning Azerbaijan’s economy has tripled and state budget has increased by 13 times, S.Hasanova brought to attention that those were indicators having no analogues in the world. The Deputy Minister, speaking about the economic relations between Azerbaijan and Finland, stated that though turnover between the two countries increased by 60 percent, there was better potential to make this volume higher. S.Hasanova also noted that nearly 900 residential areas, 150 thousand houses, over 7 thousand public buildings, over 1500 schools, orphan asylums, over 700 medical stations, 500 historical monuments, 6 thousand industrial facilities were damaged as a result of occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan by Armenia. Following the speeches, the Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Ali Hasanov clarified some issues touched upon by the members of the parliament of Finland and experts. Ali Hasanov expressed his gratitude to the speakers and said more than 30 thousand Armenians lived in Azerbaijan nowadays, and so not bilateral ethnic cleansing, but unilateral ethnic cleansing policy was carried out in the course of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Ali Hasanov also mentioned Armenia did not have 2.7 million people living in the country. According to International Organization for Migration, 1.5 million people had left Armenia in last 15 years. State Statistical Committee of Armenia confirms the information on leaving of 90 thousand Armenians during 9 months. Armenians who love their country should realize that irresponsible and incompetent policies by Sarkisian and Kocharian caused hard conditions in the country. While dealing with the model of Aland Islands, Ali Hasanov said the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev mentioned for many times at international events that Nagorno Karabakh was given the highest status of self-government, but Armenia didn’t accept such variant of settlement, either. Why? Because Sarkisian and Kocharian described themselves as heroes of Armenian people and came to power owing to this conflict, occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan, shed blood of Azerbaijanis. If this regime does not change, they will not accept any variant. Regarding settlement of more than a hundred thousand Syrian refugees, movement of Armenians in Syria in the territories of Azerbaijan has been organized by the regime of Sarkisian. Ali Hasanov said route of Azerbaijan oil for its transportation through the area of Armenia would probably be competitive and efficient. But Armenia has been isolated from international and regional projects because of Nagorno Karabakh conflict and this leads to complete collapse of economy of the country. Regarding the issue on separation of Nagorno Karabakh, the president and people of Azerbaijan stated no compromise would be in this respect. Territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must be restored. Azerbaijan respects territorial integrity of other countries and requires the same attitude towards its state. Exhibition of books on Khojaly genocide and other materials had been organized at the foyer of the Parliament.