Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has responded to the report of the OSCE-led field assessment mission to the parts of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia.
The ministry issued a statement on Monday, following the publication of an executive summary of the field assessment mission report on the OSCE website.
The full report was submitted by the OSCE mediators, who are co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, to the authorities in Azerbaijan, Armenia and the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh republic earlier this month.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry described as "a matter of specific concern" the mission’s conclusion that the potential for the future return of those displaced by the conflict was "greatly complicated not only by the continued occupation of the territories but also by the ruined state of these regions".
Monday's statement said: "Azerbaijan draws attention to the major statement of the field assessment mission that the status quo in the occupied territories is unacceptable and urges Armenia to put an end to its illegal practices in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan wants to make it clear that the continuing policy of Armenia in this regard shall not be tolerated."
It did not expand, however, on how the policy would not be tolerated.
Armenia has been occupying a swathe of Azerbaijani territory, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts, since the two countries fought a bloody war over the Azerbaijani territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. The war ended when a ceasefire was signed in 1994, but no long-term peace agreement has been reached.
The nub of the conflict remains unresolved - the competing claims of territorial integrity, which Azerbaijan insists takes precedence in the case of Karabakh, and self-determination, which Armenia wants to see for the Armenians of Karabakh.
Full statement
"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed once again the continuation of the policy of illegal settlement by the ethnic Armenians in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan as well as infrastructure changes and economic activities conducted in these territories in violation of the fourth Geneva Convention and additional Protocols on the Protection of Civilians in Time of War of 12 August 1949, which Armenia joined in 1993.
"Upon the request of the Republic of Azerbaijan, concerned at the continued illegal activities of Armenia in the occupied territories, including illegal settlement and economic exploitation, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs conducted a Field Assessment Mission to the territories of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia from 7 to 12 October.
"The co-chairs were joined by the personal representative of the OSCE chairman-in-office and his team, two experts from the UNHCR and one member of the 2005 OSCE Fact-Finding Mission.
"According to a visual appraisal and information provided by locals, the number of illegal Armenian settlers in the seven occupied districts of Azerbaijan is roughly estimated by the mission as 14,000. Some of these settlers live in rehabilitated or newly constructed housing. According to the Field Assessment Mission observations, a number of administrative, educational and medical buildings visited by the mission in the occupied territories were constructed and/or equipped with the outside financial support of the Armenian diaspora.
"With regard to the infrastructure changes, the Field Assessment Mission's assessment finds that efforts have been made to develop infrastructure, especially the supply of electricity and drinking water. All except the most remote settlements visited by the Field Assessment Mission were supplied with electricity. In the Sabukhchai river valley north of the town of Lachin, a 2.2 MW hydro-electric power station was seen. It is part of a plan to construct 25 such micro-hydroelectric stations. Several settlements have small gas pipelines to provide heating, which residents noted had been installed within the past five years. In contrast to 2005, mobile phone connectivity was possible in most regions visited by the Field Assessment Mission.
"It has also been observed by the Field Assessment Mission that the administrative boundaries of the occupied territories have been extensively redrawn. This redrawing of the boundaries has involved both the renaming of some districts and reassigning of lands that were in the occupied territories. Furthermore, Armenians change the historical names of Azerbaijani sites and settlements, applying their names to them. Thus, the name of the city of Agdam, which had as many as 70,000 inhabitants prior to the conflict, is not even mentioned in the Armenian maps or road signs.
"A matter of specific concern is the Field Assessment Mission’s conclusion that the potential for future returns by those currently displaced in other parts of Azerbaijan is greatly complicated not only by continued occupation of the territories but also by the ruined state of these regions. Nearly all private and commercial property of former inhabitants has been destroyed. The regions do not offer conditions suitable for return. Any significant return of the original population would have to be preceded by large scale rebuilding of housing and basic infrastructure.
"It should be noted that lack of time, the limited number of personnel and movement hindrances prevented the mission from making more comprehensive assessments and profound analysis of the situation in the occupied territories. However, the existing facts on the ground were so outrageous and grave that even with the problems that the mission faced during its visit, the findings of the Field Assessment Mission had to be noted in the report.
"The Field Assessment Mission’s findings reconfirmed the validity of the concern of Azerbaijan at the continuation of illegal activities in its occupied territories. Its observations confirmed once again the attempts of Armenia to consolidate the current status quo of the occupation which violate fundamental norms and principles, and in particular the principle of non use of force.
"These findings and observations were noted by the co-chairs back in 2005, when they said in their recommendations that 'any further settlement of the occupied territories should be discouraged' and 'prolonged continuation of this situation could lead to a fait accompli that would seriously complicate the peace process'. The co-chairs express the same concern and repeat the same appeal in their current recommendations. Alas, over the past six years Armenia did not follow the co-chairs’ appeal, continuing to disregard the principles of the conflict settlement.
"Azerbaijan draws attention to the major statement of the Field Assessment Mission that the status quo in the occupied territories is unacceptable and urges Armenia to put an end to its illegal practices in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan wants to make it clear that the continuing policy of Armenia in this regard shall not be tolerated.
"The presence of illegal settlers in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan hampers the ongoing negotiations and seriously undermines the prospects of achieving a lasting solution to the conflict. That is why this problem needs to be addressed in a prompt and proper manner.
"A lasting solution of the conflict can be achieved only through the return of all the Azerbaijani population forcibly expelled from the occupied territories to their places of origin. The prevailing situation in the occupied territories cannot be used as a pretext for delay in the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from these territories and their rehabilitation.
"Azerbaijan supports the appeal of the OSCE Minsk Group to give up steps that might hinder the peaceful resolution of the conflict and any action able to change the demographic, social, or cultural character of areas affected by the conflict (such as continued illegal settlement, infrastructure developments, economic exploitation, cultural changes, etc.).
"The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs' Field Assessment Mission and the co-chairs' recommendations lay the foundation for further review and resolution of this problem. Azerbaijan believes in the strong support of the international community in putting an end to the occupation of its territories. Azerbaijan agrees with the worldwide understanding that the withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied lands and the restoration of its territorial integrity will strongly diminish serious risks and challenges that exist in the region and will open the door not only to peaceful coexistence, but to the development and prosperity of all."
Emil Guliyev
News.Az
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