Armenia’s recognizing Nagorno Karabakh independence will be a major mistake from international law viewpoint, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said.

During the 1st Annual Symposium of International Relations Specialists in Baku, he stated that “international law refers to a certain border when recognition of independence is on agenda.”

“The UN recognized Azerbaijan’s independence within the borders of former Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, with Nagorno Karabakh as a part of Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic. Within the borders recognized by the international community, Azerbaijan joined UN, OSCE, CoE and other organizations. Armenians’ statements that Nagorno Karabakh has never been a part of Azerbaijan are untrue,” 1news.az cited him as saying.

Mammadyarov must have forgotten that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan announced itself as a legal successor to Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, but not to Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic.

Specifically, Article 2 of Constitutional Act of Azerbaijan Republic on independent statehood of Azerbaijan Republic says, “Azerbaijan Republic is a legal successor of the Azerbaijan Republic dating back to the period of May 28,1918 – April 28, 1920.”

Nagorno Karabakh, with 94% of Armenian population, by the decision of the Caucasus Bureau was included in Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic in a capacity of autonomy in 1921.