“We have said more than once that we will not discuss our internal affairs with other countries. Karabakh is our internal affairs.”
Armenians living in Karabakh will either acquire Azeri citizenship or look for another place to live
– said Aliyev. At the same time, he emphasized that “all freedoms and democratic foundations are given”.
The Azeri head of state emphasized that “a solution to this issue must be found on the basis of human rights”.
Nagorno-Karabakh’s affiliation has been a subject of debate since 1988 Between Baku and Yerevan. The territory was separated from Azerbaijan in 1992-1994 as a result of the war of independence fought with the support of Armenia. In the armed conflict, 30 thousand people lost their lives and hundreds of thousands were forced to flee. The province’s parliament declared the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh in 1996, but this was not recognized by any country, not even Armenia. Azerbaijan still considers the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave to be its own territory, as does, in essence, Armenia.
During a six-week conflict in the fall of 2020, Azerbaijan recaptured significant territories. The conflict ended with a cease-fire mediated by Russia, and Russian peacekeepers were sent to the region.
In addition, the key Lacini Corridor, the only direct land route between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, was closed on December 12 by Azeri activists calling themselves environmentalists. According to Armenia, Azerbaijan is preparing to carry out “ethnic cleansing” in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The cover image is an illustration, source: Getty Images
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