Maintaining security and stability is a crucial component in building successful society and regional cooperation, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at at the OIC Contact Group meeting, which was held in New York on the sidelines of the 72nd Regular Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
"Regrettably, since our last meeting, stability and security in our region became even more fragile, new conflict hotbeds emerged and prospects of the region’s development were seriously compromised," he said.
The diplomat noted that Armenia continues its occupation of 20% of Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized territories, thus undermining the regional security and stability, as well as impedes full-fledged regional cooperation.
He note that Armenia went even further in its aggression policy now trying to associate other countries with the illegal occupation through attracting businesses, trade and investments in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
Mammadyarov has urged the member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to make every effort to support the measures to end Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan, avoid illegal economic and other activities in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, limit all forms of cooperation with Armenia.
"To achieve peace, security and stability, Armenia must fully, immediately and unconditionally withdraw its troops from the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and adjacent districts, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must be restored, and the right of Azerbaijani internally displaced persons to return to their native lands must be ensured," the minister stressed.
