The National Council sees a threat to national interests in the deployment of Russian peacekeepers

Baku / 12.11.20 / Turan: The opposition National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF) expressed a strong protest against the deployment of Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh, seeing in this "the actual creation of a Russian military base in Azerbaijan."

The NCDF statement says that this "limits the country's sovereignty, does not take into account the interests of the Azerbaijani people, and is the occupation of" Azerbaijani lands in Upper Karabakh for an indefinite period."

The NCDF calls on the Azerbaijani government to take urgent measures to form a "multinational neutral contingent", which would ensure peace in Karabakh, in coordination with Turkey, Russia, the United States and the European Union.

“The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan must be fully restored over Upper Karabakh, including Khankendi, Khojaly, Khojavend, Agder, and all displaced persons must return to their home,” the document says.

The introduction of Russian troops into the sovereign territory of the country, without the knowledge and consent of the Azerbaijani people and the Milli Mejlis, without public discussion, without taking into account the opinion of the opposition and civil society, poses a serious threat to the sovereignty, territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and sharply contradicts the Constitution of the country.

The unexpected return of the Russian army, which occupied Azerbaijan in 1920, and with great difficulty was withdrawn from our country in 1992, means a limitation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan in Karabakh.

The statement recalls the entry of the Soviet army into Baku on January 20, 1990 and its involvement in the Khojaly genocide on February 26, 1992, its “role in the occupation of Karabakh in 1992-1993”, as well as Transnistria, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Crimea and Donbass in Ukraine.

The document mentions hundreds of tons of weapons and ammunition sent from Russia to Armenia after the outbreak of hostilities on September 27. “The decision of the leadership to stop the victorious march of our army and invite the Russian army to Azerbaijan caused justified discontent and protest in the Azerbaijani society,” the statement said.

Leaving Turkey outside the framework of the negotiations is a big loss from the point of view of protecting the country's national interests. -03В-