Speaker Gafarova: Azerbaijan ready to continue negotiations on signing peace agreement

This was stated by Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova during the meeting with Chairman of the Bundestag of the Federal Republic of Germany Bärbel Bas, Azernews reports.

Speaker Sahiba Gafarova, who provided the Chairman of the Bundestag with extensive information on the current situation in the region and the consequences of the 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia, said that after liberation of its territories from Armenian occupation Azerbaijan started large-scale reconstruction and restoration works.

The Chairman of Milli Majlis underlined that the biggest obstacle in the works done is more than 1 million mines laid by Armenia during and after the years of occupation and noted that more than 340 Azerbaijanis became victims of mine explosions in the last 3 years. Taking into account that Azerbaijan is one of the countries most contaminated with mines, the importance of international support to the demining efforts of our country was noted.

According to Sahiba Gafarova, who noted that Azerbaijan took the initiative to achieve long-term peace in the region and presented five main principles for signing a peace agreement with Armenia, it is based on mutual recognition of each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Armenia's political and military provocations undertaken over the past 3 years, failure to fulfill its obligations, and constant support for the illegal separatist regime established in Azerbaijani territories made anti-terrorist measures inevitable in the Garabagh region.

These measures were in full compliance with international law, and there were no civilian casualties. As a result of these measures, the separatist regime was abolished, and Azerbaijan restored its sovereignty. The Speaker stressed that no country can accept the existence of a separatist organisation on its territory.

Speaker noted that today there are no obstacles to signing a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Azerbaijan is ready to continue negotiations on signing the peace agreement. This is clear evidence that the Azerbaijani people support peace and want peace, and that our people have been waiting for 30 years for the solution of the problem through peaceful negotiations.

Sahiba Gafarova once again noted that Azerbaijan is ready for peace based on the recognition of territorial integrity and sovereignty of both countries.