Azerbaijan is not forcing anyone to leave Nargono-Karabakh, says Hikmet Hajiyev, Foreign Policy Adviser to the President of Azerbaijan. Speaking to DW, he insisted that it was the "personal and individual decision" of people, to leave.
00:00 Well, earlier DW News spoke with the Azerbaijani president's foreign policy advisor.
00:05 It happened shortly after EU mediated talks with his Armenian counterpart that took place today in Brussels.
00:11 DW's Jack Perrott started by asking Hikmek Hajiyev about Armenia's claim of possible ethnic cleansing by Azerbaijan.
00:21 First of all, such an abbreviations like an ethnic cleansing, we do accept it as an insult and humiliation to us and Azerbaijani people.
00:29 And there was no such a case in the history of Azerbaijani people.
00:32 Only thing is that Azerbaijan is providing a secure character for the civilians and who, based on their individual choice,
00:41 and also in a free manner, are deciding to go to the Republic of Armenia currently because of the current circumstances.
00:48 Again, it's a free choice of the people, Azerbaijan ensuring freedom of their own movement.
00:53 In the meantime, secure and decent communication so that local Armenian residents who decide to go to the Republic of Armenia,
01:00 it is up to their personal and individual decision.
01:02 But they are being forced from their homes, essentially.
01:05 No, they have been forced because the Republic of Azerbaijan, as a result of counter-terrorism actions on the ground,
01:12 first of all, didn't enter into civilian settlements and major cities, and it was limited by nature.
01:18 And so far, Azerbaijani armed forces and police forces mainly are guided by these principles.
01:23 And we are also in close contact with the local Armenian representatives on the ground and trying to ameliorate humanitarian situation on the ground.
01:31 In no way, there is an action of their force and there was also no single that existed such an effect on the ground.
01:37 The Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, has said that an international observer mission could only go into Nagorno-Karabakh
01:45 with the Azerbaijani side's agreement.
01:48 What's your position on that?
01:50 If you're not doing anything to hide, it's OK to have an international observation mission going in, surely?
01:54 Azerbaijan has nothing to hide and Azerbaijan's intention is not to create a restrictive zone over there.
02:00 And currently, we are in contact with our counterparts within appropriate UN offices in Baku, in Azerbaijan.
02:08 UN office in Baku is accredited for the entire territory of Azerbaijan.
02:12 And some of their representatives and expert level could also have an access, of course, for a security situation.
02:18 A security constitution must be applied on the ground.
02:21 But of course, we don't think about any need for any kind of international observer mission and so on,
02:26 because the reality of the ground is obvious.
02:28 Azerbaijan has nothing to hide.
02:30 Certain things are very difficult in the meantime, quite understandably, because in every such a situation and certain difficulties and challenges are emerging.
02:37 But in the meantime, Azerbaijan has a stronger determination to ensure equal rights of the civilian Armenian residents on the ground.
02:45 And we are also delighted to see that there was a two intensive round of the discussion with their representatives about the inclusive process
02:52 where we can ensure their rights and security on the ground.
02:55 We've seen Washington and Moscow make some quite clear statements against each other and the actions that they're playing.
03:01 Are you worried that your country is just becoming a pawn, perhaps on a sort of broader geopolitical issue?
03:07 What I would say is that Azerbaijan was always against any kind of geopolitical competition in our region.
03:13 And the region has suffered a lot.
03:15 And it's also a message to our old European partners as well.
03:18 And the region shouldn't be seen through the prism of the geopolitical competition.
03:22 And everybody should exert all of their efforts towards finding the peace in the region.
03:28 I think that is a crucial and historical moment that Armenia-Azerbaijan can be much closer to a peace treaty between two countries.
