Azerbaijan, March 9. Statement of the Armenian Foreign Ministry dated March 8, 2023 is another manifestation of lies and slander against Azerbaijan, aimed to veil the occupation policy pursued by Armenia for almost 30 years, and the provocations committed against Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis in the post-conflict period, Trend reports via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.
According to the ministry, Armenia hypocritically denies the obvious facts recorded by the video surveillance cameras of the Azerbaijani armed forces and demonstrated by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan, proving the military use of the Khankendi-Khalfali-Turshsu road by vehicles of the Armenian armed forces.
It’s unacceptable that Armenia, which grossly violated the norms of international law over the past 30 years and the terms of the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020 [signed by Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders] after the 2020 second Karabakh war, accuses Azerbaijan, territories of which it occupied in violation of its obligations, the ministry said.
“In the same way, it is unacceptable that Armenia, in an attempt to distort the latest decision of the International Court of Justice and present its dreams as reality, claims that Azerbaijan has allegedly evaded the implementation of the decisions taken,” the ministry noted.
“It’s absurd that Armenia, which since gaining independence, contrary to the norms and principles of international law, carried out military aggression and massacres on the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan, appeals to international law and international organizations, claiming that Azerbaijan is allegedly preparing to conduct a so-called ‘ethnic cleansing’ and ‘genocide’ against the Armenian population of the region,” the ministry also said.
As the ministry added, the above appeals are absurd also taking into account that Armenia destroyed the cities and hundreds of villages it occupied, carried out ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis, expelled hundreds of thousands of people from their native lands, obstructed the missions of international organizations in the region.
“Regarding the statement of the Armenian Foreign Ministry about the alleged absence of Armenian armed forces in the Azerbaijani territories, we remind once again that Armenia, not only now, but also during the 30-year period of occupation, tried to prove that they didn’t occupy the Azerbaijani territories,” the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
“Meanwhile, the facts of the occupation of the Azerbaijani territories by Armenia, the deployment of its forces in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, the delivery of the main imported military equipment to the territory of Azerbaijan, the subordination of all forces to the Minister of Defense of Armenia, as well as the initiation of criminal cases against much military personnel on the territory of Armenia are known,” the Foreign Ministry said.
“At the same time, the Armenian leadership admits that the Armenian forces haven’t yet been withdrawn from the territory of Azerbaijan. They haven’t left the territory of our country despite the announcement of their withdrawal in September 2022,” the ministry noted.
“As for the commitment to what forces are being withdrawn from the territory of Azerbaijan, according to the 4th point of the Statement of November 10, 2020, all Armenian armed forces must be withdrawn from the territory of Azerbaijan, and manipulations in this matter are unacceptable,” the ministry reminded.
“In order to prevent the aggressive policy and illegal actions of the Armenian side against Azerbaijan, it’s necessary to establish a border checkpoint at the beginning of the Lachin-Khankendi road. Azerbaijan will continue taking all necessary steps to protect its national interests and security,” concluded the ministry.
