Participants of the joint Milli Majlis/OSCE PA The Role of National Parliaments in Promoting Security and Stability through Green Economy, Connectivity and Sustainable Development in Baku travelled to Zanghilan on 23 May.

Amongst them who went over to that Azerbaijani province were President of the OSCE PA Margareta Cederfelt, Speaker of Montenegrin Skupština Daniela Đurović, OSCE PA Secretary General Roberto Montella, Vice Speaker of Lithuanian Seimas Jonas Jarutis as well as OSCE PA Member States’ representatives and delegates from international organisations. The guests were accompanied by MP Azay Guliyev (heads the Azerbaijani delegation to the OSCE PA and chairs the OSCE PA General Committee on Econ Affairs, Science, Tech & Environment), MP Igbal Mammadov and Azerbaijan’s constant envoy to OSCE Rovshan Sadigbeyli.

The trip began with arrival at Zanghilan International Airport where the guests were briefed on the technical features of the new airport built on the orders of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

The guests then arrived in the village of Jahanghirbayli where Vahid Hajiyev, Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Jabrayil, Gubadli and Zanghilan provinces, all parts of the East Zangazur Region, told about how Zanghilan and our other areas had been devastated during the Armenian occupation, and how their entire population had been expelled and become becoming IDPs. The liberated territories including Zanghilan Province are being refurbished under the direct supervision of the Head of State and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva alike. Mr Hajiyev also spoke about the on-going construction work and plans for future, the restoration of Jahanghirbayli and plans for the development of the village.

Deputy Chairman of the ANAMA Samir Poladov let the visitors know of the mines planted within the province and finding those. A demonstration mine explosion followed.

The guests toured the houses, civilian facilities, religious, cultural and historical monuments and other ruins left behind by the Armenian occupation of Zanghilan. They were told that during the occupation Armenia had destroyed our forests and nature reserves, illegally used our natural resources, and polluted the soil and rivers, including the transboundary rivers that flow from Armenia to Azerbaijan.

The conference participants saw with their own eyes the devastating consequences of the 30-year-long Armenian occupation of the internationally recognised territories of Azerbaijan. They were informed that the invaders had coventrated our towns and villages as well as Azerbaijan’s cultural and cult heritage – and even libraries.

Then, the visitors set off for the village of Aghali of the same Zanghilan Province. That village, they were told, had been wholly restored in the context of the Smart Village project and settled with the former IDP who had returned to the freed lands. A detailed presentation of the work done in the formats of the Smart Village and Green Energy projects followed.

Also, the conference participants arrived at the village square to look at the Dove memorial fountain, the ASAN Services centre and other new buildings erected to symbolise the restoration of perpetual peace in our ancestral lands – the lands that had been in captivity for nigh on three decades. The conference participants talked to villagers and took memento photographs with them as well.

The Press and Public Relations Department

The Milli Majlis