Hovhannes Igityan: statements by the President of Azerbaijan  contradict the latest statement by the OSCE Minsk Group on the need  to prepare peoples for peace

ArmInfo. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, in his statement made during the plenary session of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi, put even representatives of his  delegation in an uncomfortable position.

On October 8, Hovhannes Igityan, deputy chairman of the parliamentary commission on foreign relations, MP from the My Step bloc, said this in an interview with  ArmInfo.  He noted that in the speech of the President of Azerbaijan,  2 aspects should be highlighted. "First, in a statement, Aliyev noted  that Karabakh is Azerbaijan and an exclamation point. What he said is  contrary to the essence and methodology of the OSCE Minsk Group, and  even to the reason why this group was created. There would be no need  if Artsakh was definitely the territory of Azerbaijan, "the deputy  emphasized.

Igityan also emphasized that a process is underway to prepare an  appropriate favorable atmosphere for the start of the negotiation  process, and Aliyev's statement does not in any way contribute to its  formation.  "Moreover, the statement of the President of Azerbaijan  contradicts the very need for the negotiation process if he considers  Artsakh to be Azerbaijani territory," he stressed.  The deputy also  recalled the statement by the Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on the  statement by the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan that  "Artsakh is Armenia, period" and that it does not contribute to  creating an atmosphere favorable for negotiations. According to  Igityan, this statement was made from a completely different  platform, and in a completely different context. "And I expect that  Lavrov will make the same statement in connection with Aliyev's  speech, since Russia, being co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, should  demonstrate a balanced approach to this issue," Igityan emphasized.   As for the second aspect, which, according to the deputy, is  unacceptable, this is Aliyev's statement that not the people live in  Artsakh, but the population. "By such a statement all the delegations  of Azerbaijan in various international structures were put in an  uncomfortable position. Since the Azerbaijani delegates to PACE, in  particular, say that there are no people on this territory and no  people. According to them, there are invaders who are treacherous  these territories were captured. Aliyev said that this is the  population, and the population are those people who historically  lived and live there, "the deputy emphasized.  Igityan emphasized  that people live in Artsakh, and it does not matter what the  leadership of Azerbaijan calls them. According to the deputy, it is  important that they should continue to live on their land and have  all the human rights that people in other states have. "Moreover,  they must be provided with security, Azerbaijan could not provide  them with this security for 70 years, while this" population "was  part of Azerbaijan. And these people are fighting to ensure that  their rights to life are respected. And these people, for the sake of  a solution of this issue are self-determined, "the politician said.

The deputy emphasized that Baku declares that it will ensure security  for the residents of Artsakh, in its composition. "Neither residents  of Artsakh, nor residents of Armenia, nor the international community  believe in this. Probably, even Aliyev himself does not believe in  it. Aliyev's statement does not fit into the latest statement of the  Minsk group that warlike rhetoric should be abandoned and  humanitarian actions should begin and prepare the people for peace,  "said Igityan.

Thus, Aliyev completely destroys the puzzles that the Minsk group, as  well as the people of Armenia and Artsakh are trying to  constructively introduce into this process.