Conference at the Senate of Spain dedicated to Azerbaijan

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Mətbuat xidmətinin məlumatı 22 November, 2012

On November 22, conference was held at the Senate of Spain on the subject “Azerbaijan in Europe today. Regulation of confidence between Azerbaijan and Spain” dedicted to improvement of partnership between Azerbaijan and Spain and results of military attack of Armenia on Azerbaijan. The delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Republic, Chairman of the State Committee on Deals of Refugees and IDPs – Ali Hasanov attended the event held at Euronest Parliamentary Assembly on the initiative and organizational support of Elkhan Suleymanov, head of the delegation of Azerbaijan and MP. The event was opened by Vice-President of the Senate of Spain Juan Jose Lucas. He said Azerbaijan was an important state for Spain. Spain follows the achievements of Azerbaijan with interest and is interested in development of bilateral relations. The Vice-President brought to conference participators’ attention that Azerbaijan was selected a non-permanent member of UN Security Council. Azerbaijan has a great economic potential and Spanish companies should increase their interest to Azerbaijan. The Vice-President stated that Azerbaijan suffered from Nagorno Karabakh conflict at present. The conflict resulted in occupation of the country’s territories, over one million people’s becoming refugees and IDPs, tens of thousands of people’s mass death. Chairman of the Commission on Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Alejandro Munoz-Alonso said the conference mainly aimed at deepening bilateral relations. Though Azerbaijan was a small country according to its geographical dimensions, it had a very great potential. Azerbaijan, having rich oil and gas resources, ensures efficient use of oil revenues. Chairman of the Commission summarized his speech mentioning the importance of strengthening bilateral relations. Spain will always support Azerbaijan as friendly country. At Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, head of the delegation of Azerbaijan, MP Elkhan Suleymanov expressed his gratitude to conference organizators and participators on behalf of the delegation and mentioned similar features of Spanish and Azerbaijani people’s traditions and culture. He expressed assurance for that this visit would be beginning of a new stage in bilateral relations between Spain and Azerbaijan. The MP touched upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and said Azerbaijan’s main problem was the occupation of 20 percent of its territories by the Armenians. Settling this conflict pursuant to principles of international law is the main point in Azerbaijan’s foreign policy. The Deputy Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Republic Ali Hasanov thanked to conference participators on behalf of the government of Azerbaijan and gave information about the history of Azerbaijan. Distinguished Mr Chairman, Distinguished Members of Senate, Ladies and Gentlemen! On behalf of the Government of Azerbaijan let me express my sincere thanks to the Senate of Spain and Mr. Alejandro Munoz-Alonso Ledo, President of Senate’s Commission on External Relations and Cooperation for organizing this event. 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. At present, various projects are being implemented by 49 international and 43 national humanitarian organizations in our country. One of these organizations functioning in Azerbaijan since 2000 is the international humanitarian organization “Action against Hunger” of Spain. I would like to take this opportunity to express sincere gratitude to the management of this organization for their benevolent activities. I would also like to underline that exemplary condition for totally free and transparent activities of humanitarian organizations has been created. This is an opinion expressed first of all by international financial institutions, donorsand heads of humanitarian organizations functioning in Azerbaijan. Mr. Antonio Guterres, UN High Commissioner for Refugees,who has visited our country twice underlined the steps taken by the Azerbaijani state to improve living conditions of refugees and IDPs and to ensure their rights,stating that this could be considered as a positive model for countries facing similarproblems: “The work done by Azerbaijan in relation to 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 basic 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 an 18-year 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 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 Azerbaijan that suffers most 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 co-existence 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 Senate of Spain and each one of you. Then Jesus Salvador, Director of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies of Catholic University of Valencia made a speech. He gave detailed information about the history of Azerbaijan. Mentioning that a lot of people were killed as a result of the conflict started in 1988, J.Salvador spoke about victims of 20th January and Khojaly genocide. One of the supporters of holding hearings at Mexican Parliament on Nagorno Karabakh conflict, member of Mexican Parliament Jesus Ramires Rangel stated that he was satisfied with the activity of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Mexico. Jesus Ramires Rangel mentioned the importantance of expanding relations in political sphere. Deputy Minister of Economic Development Sevinj Hasanova made as speech on economic state of Azerbaijan. She said Azerbaijan became a dynamically developing country in the region in terms of economy in the early XXI century. Over the last few years, volume of Azerbaijan’s economy has increased thrice, state budget by 13 times, and poverty level has dropped from 46 to 7.6 percent. S. Hasanova stressed necessity of developing economic relations with Spain and mentioned that five famous companies of Spain activated in Azerbaijan at present. The speeches were followed by discussions. The Deputy Prime Minister Ali Hasanov expressed his opinion on speeches. Ali Hasanov thanked to the Director of Catholic University of Valencia for detailed analysis of the history and development of Azerbaijan, and unerlined that Armenians who changed demographic situation in the region using all possible tools, constituted 65% of the people of Nagorno Karabakh. Azerbaijan is not going to follow the path of the West. Ali Hasanov stated that President Ilham Aliyev had for many times declared in international events that Azerbaijan followed its own path. The Deputy Prime Minister made a comment on speech of the Member of Mexican Parliament and stated that resolution of the Senate of Mexica on Nagorno Karabakh conflict was adopted according to the principles of international law. Ali Hasanov brought to attention that there was opening of Azerbaijan-Mexico Friendship Park, bust of Great Leader Heydar Aliyev in that park, as well as the memorial to victims of Khojaly genocide, and “genocide” was written on this memorial. Immediately after this, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia E.Nalbandian visited Mexica and made an effort to put pressure on it. Ali Hasanov, calling this fact an achievement of Azerbaijani diplomacy, expressed his gratitude to the Senate of Mexica. Then Ali Hasanov answered the questions. The Deputy Prime Minister Ali Hasanov noted hearings held at the Senate of Spain were useful and mentioned that Azerbaijani delegation, during these few hours, tried to speak about the realities of Azerbaijan and give information about Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Unfortunately, conditions of impunity lead to expansion of conflicts, increase in number of refugees and death of innocent people.