“It is clear that the decree is a way of legitimizing the ambitions of the state territory of the Republic of Artsakh, addressed to the internal and external audience,” Nelly Baghdasaryan, Advisor to the President of Artsakh on International Relations, told Aravot Daily regarding President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev’s new decree dividing Azerbaijan into economic regions.
The capital of Artsakh, Stepanakert, was also included in Ilham Aliyev’s new decree, which was yet another demonstration of territorial claims in the Republic of Artsakh.
“In fact, the ‘Karabakh economic zone’ includes the territories of the Republic of Artsakh temporarily occupied by Azerbaijan, the current territory of the Republic of Artsakh, as well as one of the important attributes of the statehood of the Republic of Artsakh, its capital Stepanakert. In addition to being another manifestation of territorial claims, the decree is a response to the Azerbaijani opposition, which always emphasizes the existence of an independent state of Artsakh and the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in Artsakh. The decree expresses Azerbaijan’s ambitious aspirations to resolve the conflict in its favor with “zero results.” In fact, Azerbaijan continues to violate the norms undertaken by international law, in particular Article 2, Clause 4 of the UN Charter,” Nelly Baghdasaryan said, adding that this is a signal to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs on the settlement of the conflict, as well as its three principles, which satisfy the principle of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan that is presented every day in an unopposed new package.
“Being in a state of ‘deferred status’, the Republic of Artsakh continues to use the principle of the right of nations to self-determination under international law, as well as submit an application for international recognition with the resulting statehood,” she said, adding that Artsakh is guided by its internal and foreign policy agenda.
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Nelly Grigoryan
