MFA: Format of Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations not to be changed

By Azernews

By Akbar Mammadov

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Leyla Abdullayeva has said the format of negotiations over Azerbaijan’s occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region will not be changed despite Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan’s efforts.

Addressing the presser on July 24, Abdullayeva said: “The Armenian leadership wants to stop the negotiation process. His [Pashinyan’s] previous speeches and statements show that Armenia is against the negotiation process, claiming to change the format of the negotiations. However, the format of the negotiations cannot be changed,” she noted.

The spokesperson stressed that it was unacceptable that Armenia, as an occupier and aggressor state, would impose conditions on the negotiations.

“As for Pashniyan's speech on the principle of self-determination of peoples, contrary to the essence of the negotiations, this is another attempt to violate and distort the format of the negotiations,” added Abdullayeva.

She called on the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to comment on Pashinyan’s attempts to disrupt the negotiation process.

She also touched upon that the recent military provocation of the Armenian armed forces on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border on July 12, which targeted civilians and civilian facilities in villages in Tovuz district, resulting in the killing a 76-year-old resident of Aghdamli village, Aziz Azizov.  

“This once again exposed the terrorist essence of the aggressor country,” added Abdullayeva.

Furthermore, she highlighted the fact that no civilians were killed or injured on the Armenian side during the recent clashes. “The tension on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in the direction of Tovuz was the  direct provocation planned by Armenia,” she noted.

Abdullayeva also described as hypocrisy, Pashinyan’s statement that Armenia will continue to work with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs for the peaceful resolution of the conflict amidst his statements that undermined the process of negotiations. She said that Pashinyan personally bears all the responsibility for the tension in the region.

Abdullayeva also spoke about Armenian PM’s unfounded claims against Turkey.

“Turkey supports a fair settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict within the framework of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty, based on the norms and principles of international law, the UN Charter and known resolutions of the UN Security Council. The partnership and joint projects implemented by Azerbaijan and Turkey serve to the development, stability and prosperity of the region.”

The spokesperson emphasized that Pashinyan and his policy threatens peace, stability and security in the region.