Baku, August 14, AZERTAC

The non-governmental organizations operating in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of the Republic of Azerbaijan have issued an appeal to the international community.

AZERTAC presents the appeal:

“We, the non-governmental organizations operating in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic of the Azerbaijan Republic, address the international community and inform that the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic has been living under a blockade for more than 30 years. The population of Nakhchivan was without gas for almost 15 years due to the blockade, and there was even no electricity. The power lines extended from the main part of Azerbaijan were cut off by Armenia. The only connection between Nakhchivan and Baku was by rail, which was interrupted in 1992 after the last train from Mehri was subjected to gunfire.

The international community did not take any steps to eliminate the problems of the peaceful residents of Nakhchivan and lift remove the blockade. Neither did it put any pressure on Armenia over this situation. Why have our voices been falling on deaf ears for all these years?

Meanwhile, Armenia still regularly fires at the population and settlements of Nakhchivan. If it were not for the National Leader of the Azerbaijani people, Heydar Aliyev, and his worthy follower, President Ilham Aliyev, Nakhchivan would have been occupied just like Karabakh.

Armenia is currently building a metallurgical plant in Arazdeyan, an area adjacent to Sadarak, in contravention of the requirements of the Espoo Convention. This is a policy of environmental terror against the people of Nakhchivan, who have been condemned to live in a blockade. Without the consent of the government of Azerbaijan, the construction of a heavy industry plant in the mentioned cross-border area will lead to the pollution of the environment, contamination of the air with toxic waste, and the disruption of the ecosystem.

Armenia does not comply with the provisions of the trilateral Statement from November 10, 2020, which was signed after the 44-day war, and does not take any measures to open the Zangezur Corridor. While we are waiting for our persistent calls to the world community to be answered and sanctions be imposed on Armenia, the exact opposite is happening.

Why did those making one statement after another on the basis of false information and slander about the alleged closure of the Lachin road and those unjustly accusing the state of Azerbaijan never once raised the issue of Nakhchivan being under blockade for decades? Why didn't the ambassadors of foreign countries coming towards the Lachin road and looking at Azerbaijan with binoculars ever say a word about the removal of the blockade of Nakhchivan? We are frustrated over such a biased and hypocritical approach. If the international world wants to see a real blockade in the region, they should come to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

In order to exercise control over its borders and prevent provocations by Armenia, the Republic of Azerbaijan has established a border checkpoint in Lachin. This border checkpoint prevents the mining of Karabakh and the sending of terrorist sabotage groups to the region. How is it possible to defend those seeking the death of civilians? How can it be that Armenia wants a “corridor” to run across the sovereign territory of another state, but refuses to do the same under the pretext of sovereignty? Isn't the concept of “sovereignty” universal? If not, does the concept of “sovereignty” have a different meaning for Armenia or is it an additional privilege? If not, then why isn’t the Zangezur corridor opened? Why isn’t any pressure being put on Armenia? Unfortunately, these questions are not being answered.

We strongly condemn the policy of double standards being implemented against Azerbaijan, a country that has liberated its lands itself after 30 years of occupation, is building cities and villages from scratch in the territories completely destroyed and wiped off the face of the earth by Armenia, and returning its former internally displaced persons to their homelands.

The hope of the people of Nakhchivan, who have been living under blockade for more than 30 years, is to establish an overland connection with the rest of Azerbaijan through the Zangezur corridor, and to open communications in the region. The Zangezur corridor must be opened and the blockade must be removed. How can it be that the Azerbaijani government is creating communication opportunities for the Armenian residents of Karabakh through the Lachin road and offering the Aghdam-Khankendi road, but Armenia does not allow the people of Nakhchivan to move to the other part of Azerbaijan even on humanitarian grounds? We demand that the world community force Armenia to implement the Zangezur corridor project!

We often observe that the International Committee of the Red Cross carrying out transportation across the Lachin road on a humanitarian basis. We also call on the International Committee of the Red Cross to enable communication between the main part of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.”

Signatures:

1. Majid Seyidov, Chairman of the Organization of the Azerbaijan Patriotic War Veterans and Martyr Families of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;

2. Mammad Mammadov, Chairman of the Council of Elders of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;

3. Asim Aliyev, Chairman of the Union of Writers of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;

4. Ulviyya Hamzayeva, Chairperson of the Union of Artists of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;

5. Yashar Khalilov, Chairman of the Organization of Composers of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;

6. Yashar Valiyev, Chairman of the Golden Crescent Society of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;

7. Gazanfar Abdullayev, Chairman of the Council of Trade Unions of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;

8. Firudin Suleymanov, Chairman of the Council of Veterans of War, Labor, Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Bodies of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;

9. Eyvaz Asgarov, Chairman of the “Chernobyl Disabled People of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic” Public Union of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;

10. Vugar Abbasov, Chairman of the Confederation of Entrepreneurs of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;

11. Heydar Ahmadov, Chairman of the Union of Architects of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;

12. Valeh Mahmudov, Chairman of the “Center for Intellectual Development of Youth” Public Union of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;

13. Sanan Badalov, Chairman of the “Young Patriots” Public Union of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;

14. Khanim Ibrahimova, Chairperson of the “Estafet” Youth Public Union of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;

15. Gulkhanim Orujova, Chairperson of the “Nakhchivan Young Teachers Association” Public Union of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.