MFA_Report_on_the_occupied_territories_March_2016_1

D. Illegal Economic and Other Activities in the
Occupied Territories for Armenia’s Own
Economic Gain
The Republic of Armenia, directly by its own means and indirectly through its subordinate
separatist regime and with the assistance of Armenian diaspora, 111 continues and expands the
illegal economic and other activities in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, accompanied by
interference with the public and private property rights. The Government of Armenia, Armeniaregistered
private companies and entities, as well as foreign businesses, including those run
by the Armenians or based on Armenian capital, play a decisive role in funding, enabling and
facilitating permanent changes in economic, demographic and cultural character in the occupied
territories. These illegal economic activities are used for financing the subordinate separatist
regime and for the private gain of individuals in Armenia and elsewhere and serve for sustaining
the occupation of these territories by Armenia and prolonging the armed conflict.
VIII. Implantation of settlers from Armenia and abroad in the occupied territories
Over the past years, the transfer of Armenian settlers from Armenia 112 and from elsewhere into
the occupied territories, including the districts adjacent to the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh
region of Azerbaijan, in particular the districts of Lachyn, Kalbajar, Gubadly, Zangilan and
Jabrayil, has continued with accelerated pace. 113 Settlement activities are pursued against the
background of pronouncements by the Armenian officials that no one is preparing to return
any of the so-called “liberated territories.” 114 Bako Sahakyan, presenting himself as “president”
of the so-called “NKR” – an unlawful separatist entity established by Armenia in the occupied
Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, openly asserts that “[w]e only yearn to eventually unite
with Armenia” and that “[w]e live with that longing.” 115 The so-called “spokesperson” of the
subordinate separatist regime, David Babayan, is quoted to have said that “[...] the return of
territories is impossible [...]”. 116
Construction of a new settlement in the occupied Lachyn district
│Photo by Daniel Yan│ www.flickr.com
111
See “Possibilities are Much More than the Used Resources”, Theanalyticon.com, September 2011, .
112
See “Repopulation is An Essential Question for All Armenians”, Hetq.am, 25 June 2007, ;
“150 Families Move to Liberated Kashatagh in 2011: Will They Stay?”, Hetq.am, 17
August 2011, .
113
See UN Docs. A/64/760–S/2010/211, 28 April 2010, and A/67/952–S/2013/478, 13 August 2013.
114
See “Artskah Prime Minister: Kashatagh an Inseparable Part of the Country”, Hetq.am, 07 November 2012, .
115
See “Bako Sahakyan: We only yearn to eventually unite with Armenia”, Prensaarmenia.com.ar, April 2015, .
116
See “Return of Territories to Azerbaijan ‘Impossible’ Says Artsakh Spokesperson”, Asbarez.com, 15 July 2015, .
28