Azerbaijani state television denounces peacekeepers

Azerbaijani state television channel AzTV, through its chairman, threatened Russian peacekeepers with withdrawal from Karabakh. “Either the whole world recognizes that Karabakh is Azerbaijan, or get out of there,” Rovshan Mammadov said on his program “The Week”. The mandate of Russian peacekeepers on the territory of Azerbaijan has not yet been ratified by the country’s parliament. But according to Azerbaijanis on social networks, the harsh rhetoric of state television does not reflect the essence of the issue.

• “We are all soldiers in defense of the motherland” – a businessman who became a state minister
• US Embassy urges Azerbaijani government to respect rights of citizens
• Russians buy nearly 3,000 apartments in Georgia since March

What happened?

Rovshan Mammadov, chairman of Azerbaijani state television AzTV, lashed out on his Sunday program “The Week” against Russian peacekeepers stationed in Karabakh according to a tripartite statement dated November 10, 2020.

JAMnews provides the full text of Mammadov’s speech:

Expected failure – comments from Baku in wake of Sochi meeting

The trilateral meeting in Sochi and its results have become the most discussed topic among Azerbaijani political observers and politicians

“Dear representatives of the Russian state, Russian officials and Kremlin strategists who are playing double games!

It would be good if you heard the position of Azerbaijan.

1. The term of the peacekeepers ends in 2025. Only three years. In three years not a single Russian soldier will remain in Karabakh. In addition to this, the extension of the process or its reduction depends on no one, but on the desire of Azerbaijan. In other words, the withdrawal of Russian troops from Karabakh can be accelerated. It is we who make the decision; Baku is well aware of what Russian peacekeepers are actually doing in Karabakh today.

They are busy with everything from having fun with Armenian girls, building houses for Armenians, ending with helping them repair the roofs of houses.

But do they fulfill their intended purpose – do they protect it?

Today, before the eyes of Russian peacekeepers, provocations are being committed against Azerbaijani soldiers, but the Russian side is silent. Why would that be? In a word, we are all witnessing what the peacekeepers in Karabakh are doing in the most direct sense of the word.

But we are silent, we endure it. Why?

We just know that this will end sooner or later, it will end in 2025, we keep silent so as not to create new tension in the region. We are silent because we want to pay attention to the construction, the revival of Karabakh, and not to conflicts. We are silent so that our citizens return to Karabakh as soon as possible. We are silent, because there is the statement of November 10. And therefore, silence is not a sign of weakness. Everyone saw what this people is up to when they begin to speak. All this was seen during the 44-day war.

2. Those who are in Russia, in Europe, or somewhere else that we do not know about, if you want to create a nest, permanently move to Karabakh, then forget about these dreams. Karabakh is Azerbaijan, and the Azerbaijani soldier died in Karabakh not because Russian peacekeepers, or European peacekeepers under the name of monitoring groups, settled in this paradise today.
3. Both Arayik and Vardanyan, like Kocharyan and Sargsyan, are just criminal elements and the Azerbaijani people will not allow them to lead the Karabakh Armenians, create artificial excitement, do whatever they please. Know that the times of Kocharyan, Volsky and Sargsyan are long gone. A new reality has emerged.

And therefore, world, our word is to you: either agree with this reality, with the fact that Karabakh is Azerbaijan, or get out of there!”

About the “mandate” of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh

The Russian peacekeeping contingent entered the part of Karabakh that remained under the control of the Armenian armed forces, according to the terms of the tripartite statement of November 10, 2020.

Article 4 of the said statement reads:

“The peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation is being deployed in parallel with the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces. The term of stay of the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation is 5 years with automatic extension for 5-year periods, if neither of the parties declares its intention to terminate the application of this provision 6 months before the expiration of the period.“

Interestingly, over these two years the Azerbaijani parliament has not ratified the mandate of Russian peacekeepers in the country. Thus, according to the laws of Azerbaijan, the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation is in Karabakh illegally.

Critical two months in relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Analysis from Baku

Will the parties manage to come to a common opinion on such crucial issues in just two months? What happens if an agreement cannot be reached?

Comments

Rovshan Mammadov’s speech on state television was greeted by Azeris on social media rather ambiguously.

Here are some typical comments:

“In 2025 the presidential term ends. Aliyev is beneficial to Putin in Azerbaijan. It may be that they agreed behind the scenes, Putin said that if necessary you can even curse me, we will withdraw the Russian troops, we will return all the lands under the control of the Armenians, including Khankendi (Stepanakert), provided that in nations in our interests our people are in power. Ilham Aliyev, in order to stay in power, will use all the moves of Machiavellianism. If necessary he will create a confederation with Russia or other countries of the region, or even with Turkey and the Turkic-speaking countries, and again become president. Because if a new form of state is created, there will be a new general constitution. Even if what I have said does not happen, in one form or another they will try to retain power,” writes Aydin Aliyev.

Ilham Aliyev: “Our position is clear and precise. Karabakh is Azerbaijan”

According to the President of Azerbaijan, the clashes at the border on September 13-14 were due to “terror from Armenia”

“Zelensky once said that after us it was the turn to fight with Russia for Azerbaijan. In any case, the Russian “peacekeepers” must withdraw from our territories, Azerbaijan must resolve all issues through negotiations with Armenia itself. Putin’s dirty hands must be removed from this country,” Ulvi Gunashli says.

“In three years either the khan or the donkey will die. What if they don’t leave? then what? AzTV management tells fairy tales. He himself brought the bear into his home, and now you are thinking about how to get rid of it.

As for Ruben Vardanyan, he was appointed to a high position in Karabakh, and Arayik Harutyunyan was appointed,” says Zaur Mirzoev.

Azerbaijani state television denounces peacekeepers