Moscow [Russia], September 24: Baku reaffirms its readiness to a "genuine" dialogue and negotiations with Yerevan based on both countries' reciprocal respect of their legitimate interests in the light of recent escalation in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said on Saturday.
"Despite all serious challenges, stemming from Armenia's destructive position, Azerbaijan once again reaffirms its readiness for a genuine dialogue and negotiations with Armenia on the basis of equal and reciprocal respect for each other's legitimate interests," Bayramov said during his address at the UN General Assembly in New York.
The Azerbaijani top diplomat also said that the issue of landmine contamination remained a "significant obstacle" to accelerate the process of rehabilitation and reconstruction in Azerbaijan.
"The refusal of Armenia to share all maps of mined areas and the continuing planting of landmines, installation of booby traps and other explosives even after the declaration of cessation of all military activities, further aggravates the situation and increases the human toll," Bayramov added.
On September 19, Azerbaijan launched "local-level anti-terrorist activities" in Nagorno-Karabakh aimed at "restoring the constitutional order."
Baku also said that Azerbaijani forces targeted only military facilities of Armenian troops in the region. Yerevan described the operation as aggression and reiterated that it had no military presence in the disputed region.
Armenian state media reported multiple casualties among civilians as a result of Azerbaijani strikes.
On Wednesday, the Russian Defence Ministry said that Azerbaijan and representatives of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh had agreed on a complete cessation of hostilities through the mediation of Russian peacekeepers.
On Friday, the defence ministry said that military formations in the region, honouring the agreement, started to surrender their weapons and equipment under observation of Russian peacekeepers.
Source: Qatar Tribune
