Ganira Pashayeva: "Armenia must first liberate the occupied lands of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijanis must return there and then investment would be possible"

I consider Serzh Sargsyan's proposal to Azerbaijan to invest into Karabakh in exchange for Armenians' thinking over whether to stay within Azerbaijan or no to be absurd, said Milli Medjlis deputy Ganira Pashayeva, commenting on Armenian President who stated the need for Azerbaijan to invest into Karabakh for the Armenians to decide whether to stay within Azerbaijan or separate.

She noted that first of all Armenia occupied not only Nagorno Karabakh but also seven regions of Azerbaijan around Nagorno Karabakh.

"Armenia must primarily speak of giving back seven regions of Azerbaijan, return of IDP to Karabakh and only then about investment. It is absurd if Armenia holds Azerbaijani territories under occupation, does not allow Azerbaijanis to return home and Azerbaijan in turns invest into Nagorno Karabakh. Certainly, Azerbaijan will invest into one of its regions, which Nagorno Karabakh is, but it can occur only after fulfillment of the aforementioned provisions", said she.

At the same time, the deputy considers that Serzh Sargsyan is obliged to make such statements due to the situation, which was created after the Russian-Georgian war, when Armenia faced definite difficulties.

She considers that, therefore, Sargsyan made a courtesy towards Turkey and now he offers to Azerbaijan to invest into Karabakh.

"Not Azerbaijan but Armenia should demonstrate its peace-loving nature, as it is Armenia, which occupied the Azerbaijani territories and now it is in crisis and its economy is experiencing decline and is close to a disaster", said Pashayeva.

As for the need for Azerbaijan's investments for Karabakh Armenians to get assured of Azerbaijanis' peace-loving nature, the deputy reminded that in the Soviet time it was Nagorno Karabakh Autonomous Oblast which got the highest financing from the republican budget and Armenians in Azerbaijan were the most wealthy people.

"Yet, when the central powers of the Soviet state weakened, Armenians immediately displayed separatist moods, demanding cessation from Azerbaijan and annexation to Armenia. Is it logical that in their best times they separated from Azerbaijan and now they demand investments to start to think about recognizing Azerbaijan's jurisdiction in their worst time? If Armenia is anxious about the security of Armenians in Karabakh, let them invite international peacekeeping forces there", concluded Pashayeva.

/Day.Az/