Azerbaijan to establish temporary special administrations in territories liberated from occupation

BAKU, Oct 31  -- Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev has signed an Order on the establishment of temporary special administrations in the country's territories liberated from the occupation connected to Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.

A temporary special administration organisation will be established for each region and the Interior Ministry will appoint directors, Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC) reported according to the Order.

The order said that these organisations will carry out activities in coordination with the Ministry of Defence and State Border Service. 

"They will be responsible for the security of transportation and telecommunications infrastructure facilities, energy and water supply systems, water tanks, and key facilities, including private facilities that pose a high danger to the environment," it said.

The organisatios will also be in charge of collection, inventory and protection of detected military equipment, weapons, ammunition, poisonous and explosive materials, and the protection of public order and security.

"Together with relevant institutions, the organisations will conduct activities such as demining land, preventing acts such as terrorism, espionage and sabotage, taking an inventory of land and real estate, cultural assets, mines and natural resources," the order said.

Background:

The renewed intense military clashes that began on Sept 27 had resulted in the loss of lives, including civilians on both sides. Both Azerbaijan and Armenia have blamed each other for starting the fighting.

The protracted bitter conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia started in 1988 – three years before the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. In 1992, a full-scale war broke out between the two former Soviet states until a ceasefire signed in May 1994. In 1991, the ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh declared independence but the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) is not recognised by any country in the world.

 The mountainous enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts which constitute about 20 per cent of Azerbaijan's territory are internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan, but is under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia.

In the past, the United Nations Security Council had adopted four resolutions, among others calling for the withdrawal of all occupying forces from the areas of Azerbaijan. The OSCE Minsk Group – co-chaired by France, Russia, and the US – was formed in 1992 to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, but to no avail.

-- BERNAMA