Permanent Representative of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Nations Yashar Aliyev has sent a letter regarding the continuation of the aggressive policy of Armenia against Azerbaijan and Armenia’s flagrant violation of international policy, as well as the interim report on the ongoing deployment by Armenia of landmines on the territory of Azerbaijan to Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres.
In a letter addressed to the head of the UN, the Azerbaijani diplomat wrote: “By continuing to place mines and refusing to share accurate and comprehensive information about all the minefields in the formerly occupied territories of Azerbaijan, Armenia deliberately targets human lives and attempts to impede post - conflict rehabilitation, reconstruction and humanitarian efforts and the safe return of the internally displaced persons to their homes. As a result, over the past two years of the post-conflict period, more than 260 Azerbaijani civilians and military personnel were killed or injured by mine explosions."
"These actions of Armenia constitute a flagrant violation of international law and entail its responsibility. Armenia must cease and desist from mine terrorism, redress the harm caused by its internationally wrongful acts, provide full reparations for the injured and offer appropriate assurances and guarantees of non-repetition," the letter reads.
"In order to save lives and ensure peace and development in the region, it is also fundamentally important to increase international support for further strengthening and enhancing national mine action efforts in Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is one of the countries in the world most contaminated with landmines/explosive remnants of war. Throughout the conflict, Armenia has indiscriminately planted hundreds of thousands of mines and other explosive devices in the formerly occupied territories of Azerbaijan," the letter says.
The producer of the majority of landmines and explosive ordnance found in the territories of Azerbaijan is the Armenian company Hayk-Meg LLC. The company, which plays an important role in the military-industrial sphere of Armenia, is based in the capital city of Iravan. PMN-E, PMN-2, POMZ-2, OZM-72, MON-50 and PFM-1 anti-personnel mines manufactured by the company were displayed at the ArmHiTec -2016 defence industry exhibition, held in Armenia in 2016.
"Ongoing landmine deployment by Armenia on the territory of Azerbaijan is contrary to Armenia’s international obligations, including those stipulated under the trilateral statement. Armenia did not completely withdraw its armed forces from the territory of Azerbaijan and did not cease military activities against Azerbaijan. Instead, it continues to build fortifications and carry out military engineering works on the territory of Azerbaijan, including the large-scale deployment of landmines. These activities constitute a flagrant breach of international law, in particular the violation of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and international humanitarian law, for which Armenia bears responsibility. Such acts of Armenia neither serve stability nor advance peace and cooperation in the region," the letter reads.
