Azerbaijani responds to OSCE field assessment mission
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has issued comments on the OSCE Field Assessment Mission's report.
In October 2010, the OSCE conducted a field assessment mission in the Karabakh conflict zone, with the aim to assess the overall situation there.
"The field assessment mission as reaffirmed the continuation of Armenian policy of settling the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, and revealed infrastructure changes and implementation of economic activity, contrary to the Fourth Geneva Convention," Azerbaijani MFA said in a statement.
The statement goes on saying 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," reads the statement saying that the regions do not offer conditions suitable for return.
"Any significant return of the original population would have to be proceeded by large scale rebuilding of housing and basic infrastructure."
"The Mission's findings reconfirmed the validity of the concern of Azerbaijan over 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 the fundamental norms and principles, and in particular the principle of non use of force," said the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry urging the Armenian side "to put an end to its illegal practices continuing in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan"
"The field assessment mission and the Co-Chairs' recommendations lay a foundation for further review and resolution of this problem. Azerbaijan assures to the strong support of the international community on putting an end to the occupation of its territories. Azerbaijan agrees with the worldwide understanding that the withdrawal of the Armenian troops from the occupied lands and restoration of its territorial integrity will strongly diminish serious risks and challenges that exist in the region and will open the door not only for the peaceful coexistence, but as well for the development and prosperity of everyone," ends the statement.
A1+ has tried to contact the spokesman of the Armenian Foreign Ministry but Tigran Balayan could not be reached.
