Azernews.Az

By Trend

Progress in providing mine maps to attract investments in Azerbaijan’s liberated lands from big countries, international organizations, former US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza told Trend.

“This is the second time now that Armenia has provided the maps of over 90,000 mines that it planted this time in Fizuli and Zangilan, last time Aghdam in exchange for Azerbaiijan releasing 15 Armenian detainees. Armenia is obligated under the international humanitarian law to provide the mine maps. Meanwhile, if these detainees are considered to be soldiers, Azerbaijan is obligated to return those soldiers to Armenia. What’s complicated is that these Armenian detainees do not appear to have been behaving as soldiers when Azerbaijan detained them. Because the November 10th ceasefire was already in effect when the Armenian people were detained and in fact even by the time they’ve entered Azerbaijan, which suggests they are not governed by the laws of war and illegally entered Azerbaijani territory,” he said.

Bryza believes that this is a pragmatic, positive and important process.

“Hopefully it will continue and the maps of all the landmines are available. Hopefully that will allow positive political dynamic inside Armenia, which over time will allow it to embrace the tremendous opportunity it now has to restore all of
its transport and economic ties with Azerbaijan and Turkey and integrate to the regional economy. It is that step taking advantage of the last point in the Nov.10 statement which says that all the transportation linkages throughout the region are restored. That gives Armenia the best chance to grow its economy, create jobs and together with Azerbaijan and Turkey strengthen peace and stability and build much better, much more prosperous, much safer future altogether.

Such a process will attract I believe significant investment from Turkey where business people are eager to help rebuild the liberated lands of Azerbaijan and from international community as well, from organizations such as the World Bank, from big countries such as the US I hope and European allies,” he concluded.

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