Dr Mehmood-ul-Hassan Khan
FASCIST Armenia has exposed once again by targeting civilian settlements, medical facilities, schools, colleges, markets and last but not the least, residential areas in entire Azerbaijan through it air force, rockets, prohibited cluster munitions and missiles. But Azerbaijan “faith” is still dominated over the Armenia “fascisms”. Most recently, Armenian BM-30 Smerch and OTR-31 Tochka missiles badly hit the residential areas of Ganja, the second largest city of Azerbaijan, with a population of 500,000 caused lots of casualties and collateral damage even after current temporary humanitarian ceasefire. According to Azerbaijan Defence Ministry (October 11, 2020) more than 35 civilians dead, 50 seriously injured and 80 families suffered from collateral damage after the current truce. But human “generosity” of Azerbaijan is still swaying Armenian “genocide”. Despite truce/ceasefire fascist Armenia did not stop its “bombardment” on various cities of Azerbaijan namely Ganja, Tartar, Fuzuli, Jabrayil, Agdam and Mingachvir and killed innocent people living far away from the point of ongoing conflict which shows perpetual terrorist mentality of the “sick man” of South Caucasus Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan who always preferred “enmity” over “humanity”.
During ceasefire its various ministries are now busy in collecting more and more “ammunition” by dogging peace initiators and observers. But Azerbaijan’s “harmonious” stance of peace is still destroying Armenia’s horrendousness. Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan (October 11, 2020) shared latest information of truce violation of Armenia by starting rocket shelling to Mingachevir city where water reservoir and electric station are located. It is an industrial city of Azerbaijan which has strategic importance because of having largest water reservoir and power plant in the South Caucasus region. Any damage to this city and its strategic-oriented installations could have serious environmental consequences for the whole South Caucasus region. In this connection, the Rio Declaration on “Environment and Development” (1992) provides protection for the environment in times of armed conflict and cooperation in its further development, as necessary. Moreover, the “Geneva Conventions of 1949” and their “Additional Protocols” prohibits attack on environment and threat to the environment. So, missile targeting Mingachevir reservoir and power block by Armenia severely violates norms and principles of international law, including the norms of international humanitarian law too.
The Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuþoðlu discussed the current situation through a telephone call. During the telephone conversation, Minister Jeyhun Bayramov briefed his Turkish counterpart about the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia held in Moscow with the mediation of the Russian Foreign Minister. The Foreign Minister Bayramov noted that a temporary truce had been declared between Azerbaijan and Armenia for “humanitarian” purposes, and that the Armenian had been given one last chance to negotiate and withdraw its troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Turkish FM Çavusoglu said that the truce declared to exchange prisoners and dead bodies was an important step, but it is not a permanent solution, and Turkey would only support solutions that Azerbaijan agrees with. Referring to the principled position of Azerbaijan, Minister Jeyhun Bayramov stressed the need to implement relevant UN Security Council resolutions to ensure peace in the region.
Most recently, (October 11, 2020) the fascist Armenian armed forces subjected to fire Yevlakh district, which is densely populated and far from the conflict zone. Armenia has intentionally targeted the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan main export oil pipeline passing through this area, with cluster munitions. The cluster munitions rocket has missed the target of BTI pipeline by narrow margin. Fragments of more than 300 cluster bombs were scattered around, and this is a serious threat and danger to the life and health of the civilian population. The BTC main export oil pipeline has great strategic significance for Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and the region as a whole, Europe and the world in general, in economic, political and energy security terms. So, “easy” and “smooth” supplies of energy have become “hostage” of Armenia “hegemonic” hang-over. It has now undermined regional as well as global energy security and caused serious environmental consequences for the entire region. So far, the Republic of Azerbaijan has successfully liberated one major city, one big settlement, many strategically important points (mountains) and more than 35 villages from Armenia. Holy “Adhan” has been aired which is indeed a grand moral victory over “atrocities” of Armenia.
It has not been war between two different armies but two “distinctive” “philosophies” in which Azerbaijan represents pure “humanity” while Armenian carries “horrendous” crimes, Azerbaijan upholds spirits of national “dignity” while Armenian worshiper of “destruction”, one stands for “development” while other always speaks about “demolition” and one always “follows” international law but other habitual of “fascism”. So there is no comparison between the two armies because Azerbaijan stands for “concord” whereas Armenian stigmatizes for illegal “conjured” conquered. The recent Azerbaijan and Armenia war has also exposed “double” standard of so called “civilized” world which always stands with “aggressor”. Moreover, it has also tried to divide the world into communal, racial and religious basis & brackets. Peter van Dalen, a Dutch Christian Democrat MEP termed it a “crusade” war where Azerbaijan and its support Turkey should be punished. Unfortunately, “genie” of “Islamophobia” has once again marched in the streets and palaces of the EU which seems not to be a “rational” approach to resolve the current conflict.
Being a prominent regional expert of Azerbaijan & CIS I endorse “Karabakh is Azerbaijan”. De-escalation, de-occupation of illegally occupied areas of Azerbaijan, diplomacy and dialogue should be the way forward because “martyrdom” never fades and “fascism” just vanishes with “vanguard” spirits of brave soldiers. Armenian should keep in its mind that false “propaganda” is always short lived whereas, peace remains permeant. “Genocide” is always a serious crime against helpless and naked humanity whereas, human “generosity” is everlasting trait. Martial power does not have “substance” whereas, peaceful “persuasion” dominates. Last but not least, “tanks” always achieve “tendentious” consequences whereas, “tenacious” spirits always become victor.
—The writer is Director, Geopolitics/Economics Member Board of Experts, CGSS.
