Azerbaijan put an end to the illegal occupation of its territories by Armenia, which was a threat to peace and security in the South Caucasus and throughout Europe, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Jeyhun Bayramov at a meeting of the GUAM Council of Foreign Ministers.

"Azerbaijan has regained control over the territories which have been under the Armenia occupation for almost 30 years. Armenian ignored the UN Security council resolutions on the Nagorno-Karabakh region. The implementation of the decisions taken by the main bodies of the United Nations is the main way to implement the rules of international law effectively and responsibly", Azerbaijani FM noted. 

"As we entered the territories liberated recently by the Azerbaijani Army we once again witnessed the scale and gravity of devastation of these areas, including its cultural property. For instance, in the towns of Fizuli, Jabrayil, Zangilan and Gubadli, where Azerbaijani population before the occupation numbered dozens of thousands, practically all buildings and infrastructure were razed to the ground. The situation is not better in the Aghdam, Kalbajar and Lachin districts from which Armenia withdrew in accordance with the November 10 Statement of the Presidents of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation and Prime Minister of Armenia. Departing Armenian military personnel and settlers deliberately and indiscriminately destroyed the homes belonging to the expelled Azerbaijani population of these districts, schools and other public infrastructure. Forests were set on fire, inflicting irreparable damage to the environment. Religious sites were looted. All responsible for those war crimes must be brought to justice.

We hope that the situation emerged after the cessation of the 44-day war would be featured as post-conflict reconstruction and rehabilitation, a stage of restoration of peaceful co-existence. The trilateral statement has created a ground for ending the almost three-decades-long armed conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, return of the IDPs to their homes and realization of its huge economic potential. All economic and transport links in the region are supposed to be unblocked now. This can enable our region to strengthen its role in trade between Asia and Europe.

New opportunities for development and cooperation are emerging and GUAM can take advantage of the new realities. To this end, Azerbaijan is ready to work with its partners, including with the individual GUAM Member States, to contribute to peace and stability in the region", he added.

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