BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 19. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan once again presented a number of unfounded claims to Azerbaijan and demonstrated that he isn't interested in peace and stability in the region, Trend reports, citing Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.
The ministry made the remark commenting on Mirzoyan's press conference with Austrian Federal Minister for European and International Affairs Alexander Schallenberg held on July 18, 2023.
"The fact that, instead of respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, the Armenian foreign minister obstructs the peace process, referring to the 'rights and security' of Armenians living in Karabakh, which was occupied for almost 30 years, testifies to the true intentions of Armenian officials," the ministry said. "It's unacceptable, speaking about 'the population of Karabakh', to mean only the rights of the Armenian residents and ignore the rights and security of the Azerbaijani residents expelled from these lands."
"Azerbaijan is the party initiating a dialogue with Armenian residents, and it's important to reciprocate these good steps by Azerbaijan. At the same time, it should be clear to the Armenian side that Azerbaijan equally provides for and will ensure the rights and security of all ethnic minorities living in the country," the ministry noted.
According to the ministry, statements about the 'tense humanitarian situation' in the region are a political adventure and manipulation of Armenia.
"The objection to the transportation of goods along the Aghdam-Khankendi road, proposed by Azerbaijan, is an example of the groundlessness of these claims. Armenia’s distortion of the decision of the International Court of Justice dated July 6, 2023 to unanimously reject Armenia’s demand for the liquidation of the Lachin border checkpoint, as well as the military provocation against this checkpoint and smuggling attempts, are signs of a lack of intention to comply with international norms and principles," the ministry pointed out.
The fact that Armenia, which hasn't fulfilled its obligation [under a trilateral statement signed by Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders following the 2020 second Karabakh war] to open transport routes from the eastern regions of Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan over the past three years, and is still preventing the opening of transport infrastructures under various pretexts, shows that this country still doesn't understand that the policy of self-isolation for almost 30 years didn't bring anything good, the ministry said.
"If Armenia is interested in peace, stability and security in the region, it must stop hypocrisy and false manipulation and comply with its international legal obligations for the successful completion of the peace process," the ministry added.
In order to prevent the transportation of manpower, ammunition, mines, as well as other military equipment from Armenia for illegal Armenian armed groups on the territory of Azerbaijan, and as an adequate response to the unilateral establishment of a checkpoint by Armenia on the border with Azerbaijan on April 22 at the entrance to the Lachin-Khankendi road contrary to the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020, on April 23 at 12:00 (GMT+4), the units of the State Border Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan set up a border checkpoint in its sovereign territories, on the border with Armenia, at the beginning of the Lachin-Khankendi road.