Statement delivered by Ambassador Armen Papikyan at the 1290th PC meeting on the Aggression of Azerbaijan against Artsakh and Armenia with the Direct Involvement of Turkey and Foreign Terrorist Fighters

19 November, 2020

On 9 November 2020, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan joined President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and signed the trilateral statement announcing a complete cessation of fire and all hostilities in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone thus, putting an end to the unprecedentedly large-scale aggression launched by Azerbaijan against Artsakh and Armenia, with direct support and full involvement of Turkey and foreign terrorist fighters and jihadists. It is now an established fact that, along with military, political and information support, Turkey actively recruited foreign terrorist and jihadist fighters from the Middle East and transferred them to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone to support Azerbaijan’s planned aggression against Artsakh. It should be recalled that the recruitment, use, financing and training of foreign [terrorist] fighters and mercenaries is prohibited by numerous international documents, which are binding, including for Azerbaijan and Turkey. We are also concerned by and drew the attention of the Permanent Council to the fact that according to information from open sources, terrorist fighters from Syria still remain in Azerbaijan. Moreover, there are reports that more mercenaries and terrorists will be sent to the region.

As we have repeatedly noted at the meetings of the Permanent Council since September 27, Azerbaijan's full-scale and pre-planned military aggression was accompanied by numerous gross violations of the laws and customs applicable in armed conflict and war crimes, including deliberate targeting of civilian population and critical infrastructure, brutal murder of prisoners of war and civilian captives, beheadings, mutilation of dead bodies and other crimes.

During its aggression against Artsakh, Azerbaijan caused enormous damage to civilian settlements and infrastructure of Artsakh. Moreover, the use of banned munitions such as cluster and white phosphorus munitions against civilian targets by the Azerbaijani armed forces has been confirmed by a number of reputable international organizations. All these crimes, which have been well documented and recorded by relevant authorities, must be promptly and thoroughly investigated by relevant international structures, and all those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity must be punished in accordance with existing international law.

During the previous meeting of the Permanent Council, we have already informed participating States about the imminent threat of destruction of Armenian cultural and religious heritage and erasure of all traces of Armenian presence in the territories of Artsakh currently controlled by Azerbaijan. A huge number of Armenian cultural and religious monuments is now under the control of the Azerbaijani armed forces and their terrorist affiliates, and there is already ample evidence, including images showing acts of desecration and vandalism against Armenian monuments.

According to current estimates, more than four thousand cultural sites of Armenian heritage are under the risk of vandalism, appropriation, conversion or destruction. While the president of Azerbaijan pledges to protect the Armenian cultural heritage, the armed forces of Azerbaijan have been disrespecting monuments and shrines, desecrating and vandalizing churches, including the Church of the Holy Savior (Ghazanchetsots Cathedral) in Shushi, the very same church, which according to President Aliyev was hit twice by mistake within a couple of hours.

There is also the example of Dadivank, an ancient Armenian monastery dating back to the 9th century, which according to the acting Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan is anything but Armenian. Unfortunately, Azerbaijan’s track record in this regard is very poor and leaves no or very little room for optimism. The medieval Armenian cemetery in Jugha (Nakhijevan) is a vivid example both of the barbarism of the Azerbaijani authorities and the inaction and indifference of the relevant international organizations. It is important to understand here that these monuments are valuable not only from the point of view of Armenian history and culture, but are also part of the world’s cultural heritage. . Hence, their protection and preservation is a test for the whole mankind and a concrete task for relevant international organizations, including the OSCE. Failure to protect them will be a collective one.

The MC draft declaration on addressing intolerance and discrimination, which is under discussion now, could become the first touchstone in this regard and a testament to our determination to protect and preserve, inter alia, the cultural heritage of other peoples. However, we all know how it works in the OSCE and should have no illusions about this. Therefore, we will seek more effective and efficient solutions to this end.

We should also recall the UN Security Council Resolution 2347 on protection of cultural heritage, which particularly emphasizes that the unlawful destruction of cultural heritage, and the attempt to deny historical roots and cultural diversity can fuel and exacerbate conflict and hamper post-conflict reconciliation.

Mr. Chairman,

Even after the trilateral statement on the cessation of hostilities, some open sources inform about the continuation of recruitment of foreign terrorist fighters from Syria and Libya and their transfer to Azerbaijan. The real intention is still unclear.

Against this backdrop, the Turkish-Azerbaijani alliance continues to reject the undeniable facts of involvement of terrorist fighters and jihadists. Furthermore, while on the one hand, Turkey and Azerbaijan claim that evidence on involvement of FTFs and jihadists are “fake news”, on the other, they desperately try to somehow balance out the international reaction to the use of terrorists and jihadists by attributing to Armenia similar deeds.

In particular, several days ago the Azerbaijani delegation distributed a so-called report on the use of foreign terrorist fighters by Armenia. The irony is that all persons presented in the report are either Armenian citizens residing abroad, volunteers or representatives of national minorities of Armenia.

The drafters of the report gave no consideration to the fact that dual citizenship has been allowed in Armenia since 2007, and the majority of Armenians in the Diaspora are also citizens of Armenia with all the rights and obligations arising from this. Which is not surprising, since unlike Armenians who were coming back from all over the world to defend their homeland from terrorists and its supporters, Azerbaijan had to pay to foreign terrorist fighters to fight its battles.

Mr. Chairman,

The role of Turkey in instigating this aggression against Artsakh and its direct involvement, in political and military terms as well as in recruitment of FTFs and jihadists, is indisputable, regardless of Turkey’s denials. Turkey tirelessly attacks everyone who dares to raise this issue and express concern. This was the case when the European Court of Human Rights adopted an interim measure against Turkey during the war. This was also the case when the UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries said that the Government of Azerbaijan, with Turkey's assistance, relied on Syrian fighters to shore-up and sustain its military operations in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.

Turkey positions itself as an ardent fighter against terrorism, but at the same time provides safe haven for various terrorist groups and instrumentalizes foreign terrorist fighters and jihadist groups; pretends to be concerned by illegal migration and at the same time exploits migrants for political purposes; speaks of territorial integrity and invades the territories of neighbouring states, speaks about zero problems with neighbours, and at the same time creates problems with all of them, speaks of illegal trafficking of natural resources, while actively engaging in such activities, and last but not least, portraying itself as a country that combats crimes against humanity, at the same time denying the Armenian Genocide.

In case of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Turkey’s tactic was the same. While speaking about supporting a peaceful resolution of the conflict, Turkey, in fact, was instigating Azerbaijan to war. The Turkish Ambassador has been preaching here about some “state of mind” blaming Armenia for creating problems and conflicts. He accused Armenia of “perpetuating its well-known narrative”, while at the same time, refusing to address or even acknowledge the well-justified security concerns of Armenia.

Aside from political support Turkey’s involvement in aggression was more direct including in terms of military presence on the ground, command and control of all operations, from planning to execution.

Recently, open sources have provided credible reports of the involvement of high-ranking Turkish military personnel in the military operations of Azerbaijan. Thus, according to the report, a group headed by Major General Bakhtiyar Ersay, Chief of the Operations Directorate of the Ground Forces of Turkey, was directly involved in organizing the military operations against Artsakh. Ersay was stationed in Baku and was personally supervising the Azerbaijani General Staff and the whole operation against Artsakh.

Lieutenant General Seref Ongay, Commander of the 3rd Field Army of the Ground Forces of Turkey, also took part in planning and conducting the operations. Ongay and several other Turkish generals were planning joint Turkish-Azerbaijani offensive operations.

Another Turkish high-ranking officer, who led the operation against Artsakh, is Major General Heksel Kahya, head of the 1st Supply and Maintenance Center of the Turkish Air Force. He has been in Azerbaijan since July and during the aggression was responsible for all flights of the Bayraktar TB2 UCAVs. All operational intelligence information obtained with the UAVs under his control was transferred to the command in Turkey.

The overall number of the Turkish military personnel stationed in Azerbaijan amounted to 600 troops, comprised of a tactical unit of 200 troops and 50 commanders stationed in Nakhijevan, 90 military advisors in Azerbaijan's capital Baku, a 120-strong flight-tactical team at the Gabala airbase, as well as 20 UAV operators at Dallyar airport, 50 commanders at Yevlakh airport, 50 commanders in the 4th Army Corps and 20 officers at the Naval Base and the Military Institute of Baku. In addition, in the second half of October, after several failures on the battlefield, a 1200 strong Turkish special forces brigade, specialized in the conduct of combat fighting in mountainous terrain, was sent to Azerbaijan.

Mr. Chairman,

Given the direct participation of Turkey in Azerbaijan’s aggression against Artsakh and Armenia, as well as the transfer of Turkish-backed foreign terrorist fighters and jihadists to the South Caucasus, Armenia no longer considers this country as a legitimate and equal member of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Turkey cannot and should not play any role in the resolution of the Nagorno‑Karabakh conflict because by its actions it hinders any progress in the settlement process. We call on participating States to continue to put pressure on Turkey to withdraw its military personnel and weapons from the South Caucasus, along with the affiliated terrorist and jihadist groups, as well as to abandon its aggressive and destabilising policy.

We regret this stance of Turkey, which could have played a more constructive and responsible role in the region aimed at creating an environment for peace and prosperity for all the people of the region without distinction. Instead, the Turkish government chose the path of denialism, confrontation and intimidation, which further fuels tensions and conflicts in the South Caucasus and beyond.

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