Your trusted source

Editorial of Panorama.am has turned to Angela Elibegova, candidate of political sciences, for a comment on the situation occurred with the former Azerbaijani citizen Firuz Farajev. Armenia due to plenipotentiary international organizations, by the firm decision of Farajev, passed him to a third State where he is granted the status of a refugee.

- In 2012, the soldier of the Azerbaijani army preferred to cross the border with Armenia and to surrender because of intolerable conditions that exist in Azerbaijani army, at the same time Armenia fully complied with Farajev’s humanity and human rights. How do you comment on this situation?

- The Republic of Armenia once again demonstrated an accurate commitment of the undertaken international obligations and organized Farajev’s undertime transmission to a democratic country where he is not at a risk, in contrast to Azerbaijan, where he refused to return. Thereby, it is easy to track the nature of the measures undertaken on both side. The official Baku, violating international norms, demonstrates POW Hakob Injighulyan’s "voluntary" interviews, while Armenia is planning Farajev’s transmission to a third country.

- What problems did Azerbaijan solve in that way?

- Azerbaijani propaganda tried to solve two problems: to divert the public attention on the eve of the presidential elections and to exert psychological pressure on Armenia. Transmitting Farajev to a third country, Armenia once again proved that blackmailing and pressure by the Azerbaijani side is senseless and ineffective.

Besides, such violation of international law by Azerbaijan is fixed in international reports and is effectively used by the Armenian side in the negotiations of Karabakh conflict settlement process. After all, when the Azerbaijani authorities in their official statements say that Armenia torpedoes the peace talks, the Armenian side always has something to oppose, bringing a weighty counterargument. And thus there is a bulk of counterarguments accumulated over the years of negotiations.

- What steps will Azerbaijan undertake?

In this case the most reasonable solution for official Baku will be Hakob Injighulyan’s return. This is a chance for Azerbaijan to demonstrate its commitment to a civilized way of solving the bilateral problems; especially, when Azerbaijan, has already put itself in a very difficult situation in connection with the murder of captivated shepherd Manvel Saribekyan and repeatedly violates international norms.