TODAY.AZ / Politics

Azerbaijan reacts harshly to Armenian minister's bellicose remarks at EU meeting

27 January 2023 [09:59] - TODAY.AZ
By Azernews

Sabina Mammadli

A call by Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan to resolve the situation around the Lachin road militarily is a serious threat, Azernews reports per the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

The ministry made the remarks in a statement in response to the Armenian foreign minister’s remarks at the European Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee on January 24.

Official Baku classified the remarks of the Armenian official as a vivid example of hypocrisy.

“Armenian leaders are not calling to war for the first time. Back in 2019, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that `Karabakh is Armenia' and former Defense Minister Tonoyan announced a `new war for new lands'. Foreign Minister Mirzoyan's proposal for a military solution shows that Armenia has not learned a lesson from history and still does not realize the consequences of the occupation of Azerbaijani territories for 30 years. It is necessary to prevent this adventure of the Armenian side,” the ministry outlined.

Further, the ministry emphasized that Azerbaijan has numerously presented irrefutable evidence of a gross violation of the obligations that Armenia agreed to, such as the incomplete withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijani territories, the ongoing illegalities there, the misuse of the Lachin road and the rotation of military personnel, the persistence of the mine threat in Azerbaijan, the illegal exploitation of natural resources, the creation of conditions for the illegal passage of citizens of third countries to Azerbaijan's territory and others. The ministry noted that these facts have not received due attention and condemnation, which encourages Armenia.

“At the same time, it is clear that the latest remarks of the Armenian foreign minister were inspired by incorrect, bellicose, and revenge-inciting statements of a number of international circles on the situation around the Lachin road,” the statement said.

The statement pointed out the absurdity of the fact that Armenia, which has been carrying out military aggression and massacres against Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized territories, refers to the norms of international law, appeals to international organizations and calls for intervention after Azerbaijan liberated its own lands.

The ministry refuted Mirzoyan’s comments about Armenia’s commitment to the trilateral statement, noting that Armenia did not respond to Azerbaijan’s appeals for months after the proposal of the peace treaty, as well as did not take practical steps to advance the process, and constantly slowed down the process under various pretexts.

Besides, the ministry reiterated that Armenia’s remarks about Azerbaijan’s alleged demands for an "extraterritorial corridor" are unfounded.

“We remind you once again that, according to paragraph 9 of the tripartite statement, Armenia is obliged to `establish transport links between the western regions of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in order to organize the unhindered movement of citizens, vehicles, and goods in both directions'. Armenia has agreed to ensure unhindered movement within its territory and must fulfill this obligation. It is surprising that Armenia, which still holds under occupation 8 villages and dozens of sq. km. of Azerbaijani lands, declares that Azerbaijan is not committed to the delimitation process,” the statement underlined.

The ministry further added that it is unacceptable that a country that has built its national policy on the basis of hatred towards Azerbaijanis and Turks and demonstrates this in all its actions, in general, destroyed and deported all ethnicities from its territory, accuses Azerbaijan of hatred towards Armenians.

Talking about Azerbaijan’s goal being “ethnic cleansing” and “deportation”, the ministry recalled that Armenia, which has committed such crimes for decades, has no moral basis to talk about human rights.

The ministry reiterated that the peaceful picketing on the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan on the Lachin road against the illicit exploitation of Azerbaijan's natural resources is the legitimate right of the people of Azerbaijan. The illegal activities in the Azerbaijani territories, where Armenian residents live, pose a threat to the national security of Azerbaijan, and such activities must be stopped, the ministry added.

“Azerbaijan will continue to take all necessary measures to protect its national interests and security," the statement concluded.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/231006.html

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