Armenian MFA considers statements in  OIC Istanbul Declaration to be  distorted and one-sided

ArmInfo.The Armenian Foreign Ministry is deeply disappointed with the distorted and extremely  one-sided statements in the Istanbul Declaration adopted within the framework of the last ministerial conference of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the resolutions submitted at the initiative of Azerbaijan.  The statement distributed by the Armenian MFA notes that the emphasis placed in these documents contradicts the  interests and logic of establishing lasting peace in the region.

"We draw the attention of the OIC member states to the fact that  talks about "Western Azerbaijan" under the guise of human rights is a  clear territorial claim by Azerbaijan to the sovereign territory of  the Republic of Armenia, which is recorded even in the founding  documents of the "organization" artificially created for this  purpose. We consider it useful to recall that Western Azerbaijan is  the western regions of Azerbaijan: "Gazakh, Tovuz, Agstafa, Gadabay,  Dashkesan, Kelbajar, Lachin, Kubatlu, Zangelan and Nakhichevan".  There is not and cannot be a so-called "Western Azerbaijan" on the  territory of the Republic of Armenia," the Armenian Foreign Ministry  emphasized.

"As for the Azerbaijanis living in Soviet Armenia, the country's  Foreign Ministry continued, they left Armenia voluntarily in the last  years of the USSR. They were able to sell or exchange their property  or received compensation from the Armenian government."  "Unfortunately, the fate of Armenians in Azerbaijan was different in  Baku, Sumgait and other places where massacres and forced  displacement of Armenians took place, and the world witnessed the  latest manifestation of this in our region in the fall of 2023, when  more than 115,000 (over 150,000 in the period from 2020 to 2023 -  ed.) Armenians were forced to leave Nagorno-Karabakh, subjected to  ethnic cleansing," the Armenian Foreign Ministry continued.

It is noted that the indirect encouragement of such behavior by the  OIC is in logical contradiction with the OIC's stance on the crisis  in the Middle East over the past two years.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry also expressed surprise at the  incorrect interpretation of the events in Khojaly (Ivanyan) in the  late 80s and early 90s of the last century. "The true history of  crimes against humanity is well known and directly refutes any  accusations against Armenia. It is regrettable that the adopted  declaration, at odds with the statements made by OIC members in March  of this year and subsequently on the establishment of interstate  relations and the conclusion of a peace agreement between Armenia and  Azerbaijan, contains unilateral statements on the preconditions for  signing the agreement," the ministry added.  Yerevan drew the  attention of OIC members to the fact that Armenia has declared its  readiness to sign the agreement without any delay, proposing to begin  consultations on the venue and date of its signing, as well as to  find constructive solutions to several issues raised by Azerbaijan.  "It would be more logical if partners interested in establishing  peace in the region called on Azerbaijan to sign the agreement  without unnecessary delays, refraining from creating artificial  problems along the way," the ministry further stated.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry also expressed deep regret over the  adoption of a resolution "on the protection of cultural values." "By  ignoring the ongoing destruction of  Armenian cultural heritage under  the control of Azerbaijan and its systematic vandalism, the  resolution attempts to give the issue a religious tint, fueling false  and dangerous theses. Armenia's respect and care for the Islamic  cultural heritage are well known and easily proven.  The Ministry of  Foreign Affairs calls on the member states of the Organization of  Islamic Cooperation, who have joined the above-mentioned declaration  and resolutions, to reconsider and resolutely abandon biased  initiatives aimed against the territorial integrity and sovereignty  of Armenia and jeopardizing the settlement process between Armenia  and Azerbaijan.  There is a real opportunity for peace in the South  Caucasus, and such an approach by any international organization does  not contribute to the effective implementation of this opportunity.  The Republic of Armenia is committed to the peace agenda and the  strategy for its implementation and expects international partners,  including the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to support   efforts to establish a lasting and sustainable peace between Armenia  and Azerbaijan," the Armenian Foreign Ministry concluded.