Azerbaijan is ready to sign with Armenia a peace agreement that will recognize the two countries’ territorial integrity within their internationally recognized borders. The statement came from Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov while addressing a meeting of the Council of Heads of Governments of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Haqqin.az reports.
"Also, Azerbaijan supports the launch of the border delimitation and demarcation work," Asadov added, noting that the peacekeeping efforts by Russia and the Russian-Turkish joint monitoring center serve to strengthen peace and security in the South Caucasus.
The Azerbaijani PM added that his country is in favor of unblocking transport communications in the region.
"Not only Azerbaijan and Armenia, but also the other countries in the region will benefit from it. Unblocking transport communications plays an important role in the further development of economic relations—not only in the South Caucasus region, but also in the CIS in general," he said.
Asadov noted that Azerbaijan proceeds from the fact that its conflict with Armenia is in the past now, emphasizing that Baku is in favor of the immediate delimitation and demarcation of the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia—and within the framework of international law.
"Azerbaijan has never claimed foreign territories, but it will not give up an inch of its land," Asadov added.
The premier considered the safe return of internally displaced persons to their homeland one of the important issues facing Azerbaijan.
"In 2021, $1.3 billion of [Azerbaijani] state funds were spent on reconstruction work in Karabakh [i.e., in the part currently occupied by Azerbaijan]. In 2022, the same amount is envisioned in the state budget for these purposes," he said.
According to the head of the Azerbaijani government, minefields are one of the main obstacles to reconstruction.
"As of today, 20,000 hectares of territory have been demined. The accuracy of the maps of the minefields of the three regions provided by Armenia to Azerbaijan is less than 25 percent. So far, 167 Azerbaijani citizens have blown up in minefields, more than 30 of whom have died," he said.
But Asadov did not say a word about the matter of returning the remaining captured Armenians in Azerbaijan.
