Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 30
Trend:
The State Commission of the Republic of Azerbaijan on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing People is implementing measures to receive the body of Azerbaijani soldier Chingiz Gurbanov, the State Commission said in a message Dec. 30.
The State Commission says Armenia carries all the responsibility for the provocation at the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border.
"The Armenian side has once again demonstrated disrespect for the norms of international humanitarian law by distributing photos of the body of the Azerbaijani soldier killed in combat in the media and social networks, and used abusive language against the Azerbaijani people and the mentioned soldier,” said the message.
The ministry said in the message that the Armenian side openly demonstrates its inhumane essence, and grossly violates the Geneva Convention of August 12, 1949, which it had also joined.
A reconnaissance group of the Armenian Armed Forces tried to violate the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border on Dec. 29 morning. The Armenian group found itself in the ambush of the Azerbaijani army while violating the borders.
The enemy was forced to retreat, according to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry's message.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.