Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 26
Trend:
All the responsibility for the tense situation on the line of contact between the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops rests entirely on Armenia, an invader state, which violated international law principles and norms and the UN Charter, the head of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's press service, Hikmet Hajiyev, said Jan. 26.
Hajiyev was commenting on the recent provocations of Armenia.
He said that the presence of the Armenian armed forces on the territories of Azerbaijan creates tension that threatens regional stability and security.
Hajiyev added that the purposeful provocative actions of Armenia aimed at the aggravation of the situation, prevent the settlement of the conflict and seek to maintain the status quo.
He further noted that the Armenian regime, using "the tense situation on the line of contact between troops" as an excuse, is trying to divert attention from the political, economic and demographic crisis in that country, especially from the tense political situation that has arisen in recent days.
Hajiyev said that the numerous losses of the Armenian side in the last days are the results of the irresponsible policy of the Armenian regime.
"Amid all these provocative actions, Armenia's participation in the negotiation process is a political speculation, imitation and intended to deceive international community," he said.
"To resolve the conflict first of all it is needed to withdraw the occupying Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijan's territories and to remove the occupation and aggression," the ministry's spokesperson added.
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 two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.