Mine ban policy overview

Policy

The Republic of Azerbaijan has not acceded to the Mine Ban Treaty. It has stated that it supports the goals of the treaty, including a comprehensive ban. But, it “cannot accede to the Ottawa Convention without settlement of the armed conflict, restoration of territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and having a threat of hostility resumption, even though Azerbaijan stopped planting of additional mines.… Therefore adherence to the Ottawa Convention will be possible only after the final settlement of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.”[1] In 2010, it stated that “de jure, not signing it, de facto, Azerbaijan is fulfilling all the obligations prescribed by the Ottawa Convention, and not only no worse, but perhaps even better than many countries which have signed and ratified it.” However, Azerbaijan “has no objective possibility to become a full member of the Ottawa Convention.”[2]

Still, Azerbaijan has demonstrated support for the treaty.  It has voted in favor of the annual UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution promoting universalization of the treaty every year since 2005, including Resolution 65/48 on antipersonnel mines on 8 December 2010. Azerbaijan submitted voluntary Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 reports in 2008 and 2009.  While the reports have details about mine clearance, victim assistance, and mine risk education, they do not include any information on Azerbaijan’s stockpiled antipersonnel mines. 

Azerbaijan is not party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons.

Production, transfer, stockpiling, and use

Azerbaijan has stated on several occasions that it does not produce or export antipersonnel mines.[3] Azerbaijan’s mine stockpile is a legacy of the Soviet era, but the number and types of mines held are not known.

In early 2011, Azerbaijani Defense Industry Minister Yaver Jamalov informed President Ilham Aliyev about the reconstruction of the “Sanayecihaz” Scientific-Production Center, which will produce new defense goods including, apparently, antipersonnel mines. President Aliyev visited the reconstructed facility and put it in operation.[4]Following this media report, the ICBL sent a letter in March to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs to request urgent clarification in this regard. Despite continuous follow-up on the letter, as of 4 September the ICBL has received no response.

Additionally, in 2010, a communiqué posted on the website of the Ministry of Defense Industry suggested that the production of antipersonnel mines had begun at a newly opened weapons production facility, but the reference to antipersonnel mines was later removed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs attributed the incident to an “accidental technical error.”[5] The director of the Azerbaijan National Agency for Mine Action (ANAMA) also denied that Azerbaijan had started producing antipersonnel mines.[6]

Officials have stated that Azerbaijan has not used antipersonnel mines since the end of open conflict with Armenia in 1994.  They have also said that while Azerbaijan does not intend to use antipersonnel mines in the future, it does not rule out the possibility.[7] Azerbaijan apparently has not taken any specific legal measures to prohibit production, trade, or use of antipersonnel mines.