Azerbaijan submitted a voluntary report to the UNO PA on anti-mine action.
The report will be included into official materials of the annual conference of the countries that joined the Ottawa Convention in Geneva on 24-28 November, Hafiz Safikhanov, the chairman to the Public Association for the Azerbaijani Company against Mines (ACAM) told on 21 November.
The Convention on banning the use, accumulation of reserves, production and transfer of mines and their destruction was signed in Ottawa in December 1997. 156 countries joined this document.
Although Azerbaijan didn’t join the convention because of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the country fulfills many obligations described in the document.
The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasia started in 1988 over territorial claims raised by Armenia against Azerbaijan. 20 percent of the Azerbaijan territory – Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts are under Armenian occupation since 1992. In 1994, the parties signed the ceasefire agreement and since then, the co-chairs to the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the USA are holding unsuccessful peaceful negotiations.
Production of mines, their transportation and accumulation of reserves have not been revealed in Azerbaijan. “Azerbaijan didn’t use mines after signing the ceasefire agreement with Armenia. However, it is not excluded that Azerbaijan will use mines in case of military operations. Azerbaijan officially participates in the events held within the framework of the Convention and presents the country’s position on mine problems”, the Association said.
It is already three years since Azerbaijan votes for the resolution directed to universalization of the Ottawa Convention.
According to Safikhanov, a voluntary report of Azerbaijan was drawn up in accordance with Article VII of the Convention (Transparency measures).
“The report especially stresses that Azerbaijan increases financing of anti-mine actions every year”, he said.
Trend
