Holding an illegal presidential election in the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia is ridiculous.
He was commenting on the illegal "presidential election” to be held by the so-called regime in Nagorno-Karabakh on July 19.
Hajiyev reminded that the so-called "parliamentary elections” on May 3, 2015 and "the referendum on constitutional changes” on February 20, 2017 of the illegal puppet regime established in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan by Armenia was rejected and not recognized by the international community.
He stressed that the holding of fabricated "presidential election” by illegal "parliament” of puppet regime is ridiculous and is nothing other than self-deception.
"It is very well known that "head” of puppet criminal regime, as well as members of so-called "parliament” are appointed by the political-military authorities of Armenia and they fulfill the functions of marionette,” said Hajiyev.
The spokesman went on to say that the illegal regime established by Armenia in the temporarily occupied territories of Azerbaijan is ultimately nothing other than the product of aggression and occupation and bloody ethnic cleansing.
"It is under Armenia’s direction and control and survives by virtue of its military, political, financial and other support, as was confirmed by the European Court of Human Rights in its judgment of 16 June 2015 on the case of Chiragov and others v. Armenia,” he said.
Hajiyev noted that the illegal and fabricated "presidential election” constitutes a clear violation of the Constitution and relevant laws of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the norms and principles of international law.
"It is yet another political provocation of Armenia. As a continuation of Armenia’s military provocations to escalate the situation along the line of contact, it serves to undermine the efforts of OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs for resolution of the conflict through substantive negotiations,” said Hajiyev. "It once again proves that Armenia is not genuinely interested in political resolution of conflict and by all means tries to maintain the status quo of occupation.”
He stressed that only possible way to achieve sustainable and durable solution of the conflict is based on withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and other occupied territories of Azerbaijan in an unconditional and complete manner in accordance with the demands of relevant resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, ensuring inalienable rights of Azerbaijani internally displaced persons to return to their native lands, restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognized borders and peaceful co-existence of Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan within the borders of Azerbaijan.
"Instead of wasting time and misleading its own people and the international community, Armenia must cease its policy of occupation and engage constructively in the conflict settlement process and comply with its international obligations,” added Hajiyev.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict entered its modern phase when the Armenian SRR made territorial claims against the Azerbaijani SSR in 1988.
A fierce war broke out between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. As a result of the war, Armenian armed forces occupied some 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory which includes Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent districts (Lachin, Kalbajar, Aghdam, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zangilan), and over a million Azerbaijanis became refugees and internally displaced people.
The military operations finally came to an end when Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in Bishkek in 1994.
Dealing with the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the OSCEMinsk Group, which was created after the meeting of the CSCE (OSCE after the Budapest summit held in December 1994) Ministerial Council in Helsinki on 24 March 1992. The Group’s members include Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, the United States, France, Italy, Germany, Turkey, Belarus, Finland and Sweden.
Besides, the OSCE Minsk Group has a co-chairmanship institution, comprised of Russian, the US and French co-chairs, which began operating in 1996.
Resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 of the UN Security Council, which were passed in short intervals in 1993, and other resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly, PACE, OSCE, OIC, and other organizations require Armenia to unconditionally withdraw its troops from Nagorno-Karabakh.
