Azerbaijan’s mine problem raised in Prague
Prague, September 4, AZERTAC
An open meeting with Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan was held at CEVRO University in the Czech capital, Prague.
The event, organized by the Prague Centre for Transatlantic Relations, was attended by politicians, students, academics, public figures, and other guests.
Farid Amiraliyev, a representative of the Azerbaijani diaspora, founder of the “Land of Fire” society, and coordinator for the Czech Republic of the Coordination Council of Eastern European Azerbaijanis under the State Committee on Work with Diaspora, also participated in the meeting.
In his speech, the President of Armenia addressed Armenia’s relations with Azerbaijan and Türkiye, the events in Garabagh and the 2020 war, the peace agreement reached in Washington between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, as well as prospects for regional cooperation among Azerbaijan, Armenia, Türkiye, and Russia.
Following the address, event moderator Tomas Pojar posed a series of questions to the Armenian President. Although individual questions from other participants were not scheduled during this segment, Farid Amiraliyev approached the Armenian President at the conclusion of the event, stating his desire to raise a matter of critical importance to Azerbaijan. Following his request, he brought up the landmine threat in the liberated territories of Azerbaijan.
Amiraliyev specifically asked the Armenian President when complete and accurate maps of the mined areas in Azerbaijan’s territories would be handed over to the Azerbaijani side.
Underscoring that the peace process between Azerbaijan and Armenia is ongoing and that lasting peace remains the ultimate goal, he emphasized that the landmine hazard continues to pose a grave threat to the lives and safety of Azerbaijani citizens.
In response, Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan stated that, as requested by the Azerbaijani side, all minefield maps, records, and related materials available to Armenia had already been provided to Azerbaijan. He added that information in Armenia's possession regarding the fate of nearly 4,000 Azerbaijanis who went missing during the First Garabagh War had likewise been turned over to the Azerbaijani side. However, the Armenian President’s response omitted any specific date or timeframe regarding the core inquiry — when full and accurate minefield maps would be delivered to Azerbaijan.
Thus, while Khachaturyan maintained that Armenia had handed over all information at its disposal, he refrained from making any commitment regarding the accuracy or completeness of the mine maps, nor did he offer a definitive timeline for their submission.
The Armenian President expressed hope that the mine problem would soon be resolved and that peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia would be further consolidated.
After the session concluded, Vahagn Khachaturyan approached Farid Amiraliyev, shook his hand, and commended him for raising the question openly.
Subsequently, several event participants approached Amiraliyev to thank and congratulate him for bringing the landmine issue directly to the attention of the Armenian President.
Amiraliyev noted that his objective was not to provoke a political confrontation, but rather to highlight the mine threat, which directly jeopardizes human lives, before an international audience and the Armenian leadership.
“Peace is measured not merely by political statements, but by ensuring the safety of people. The unexploded landmines in the territories of Azerbaijan continue to endanger human lives today. That is precisely why I considered it vital to raise this issue directly with the Armenian President on such a platform,” F. Amiraliyev said.
Other news in this section
