Azerbaijan, Baku, June 25 / Trend /
The statement made by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian to European MPs, differ from Yerevan's actual deeds, spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Elman Abdullayev told Trend today.
He said that actions such as the intensification of confidence building measures announced by Armenian Foreign Minister were blocked and are stilled being blocked by Yerevan.
Abdullayev said that Nalbandian tries to cheat at every opportunity.
"Nalbandian's statements resemble the actions of a pupil who has memorized a text and used it at every opportunity," he stressed.
"Armenia has already used force by occupying 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory and exposing the local population to bloody ethnic cleansing.
"Of course, at present, Azerbaijan has the strongest, best trained and equipped army in the region," he stressed. "A country with one million refugees and internally displaced people and 20 percent of which has been occupied, must have a strong army as an institution of strong statehood and a guarantee of safety of Azerbaijani people."
"Armenia is responsible for the tense situation in the region today and that the security of the region is under threat," he said. "Yerevan must seriously think about its aggressive policy."
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions of Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France and the U.S. are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the occupied territories.