BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 1
Trend:
The speeches of Armenian foreign minister about creating conditions for peace are a paradox, Spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Foreign Affairs Ministry Leyla Abdullayeva said.
Abdullayeva made the remark commenting interview of Armenian FM Zohrab Mnatsakanyan to Interfax News Agency, in which he stressed importance of political will for Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Trend reports on September 1.
According to the spokesperson, the paradox is that the speeches were made by the foreign minister of a country which in violation of the fundamental principles of international law, has kept the internationally recognized territories of a neighboring country under military occupation for about 30 years and directly impedes the resolution of the conflict through negotiations, and moreover, by its actions and statements serves to aggravate tensions in the region.
Abdullayeva noted that the steps of the leadership of Armenia, nullifying the essence of the negotiations, are the main obstacle to the creation of the "peace conditions", which the foreign minister of this country speaks about.
"A glance at the actions of Armenia in the last month is enough to clearly see the aggressive and provocative essence of this country’s policy,” the spokesperson said. “On July 12-16 of this year, Armenia, having carried out a new military provocation in the direction of the Tovuz district on the border of the two states, tried to carry out a planned attack on the Azerbaijani positions. The Azerbaijani army resolutely suppressed this act of Armenian aggression."
“After the terrible explosion in Beirut, to use this tragedy for its dirty purposes, Armenia announced about a plan for the illegal settlement of the occupied Azerbaijani territories by ethnic Armenians from Lebanon,” Abdullayeva added.
“By this statement, Armenia confirmed its intention to consolidate the results of the ethnic cleansing carried out in Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and adjacent districts,” the spokesperson added. “After the Armenian military-political leadership failed in the military adventure in the direction of Azerbaijan’s Tovuz district, it began to resort to other provocations to compensate for this failure.”
“On August 23, on the line of contact between the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops in the direction of Azerbaijan’s Goranboy district, an attempt of a reconnaissance and sabotage group of the Armenian armed forces to make a provocation was suppressed and the leader of this group was detained,” Abdullayeva said.
“And finally, the trip of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to the occupied Azerbaijani city of Khankendi on August 29, his meeting with the "representatives" of the puppet regime, the presence of the Armenian military formations in the occupied Azerbaijani territories, once again clearly demonstrated that Armenia is an aggressor country conducting the policy of annexation of the Azerbaijani territories,” the spokesperson said.
“Taking into account all the abovementioned aspects, what kind of peace, what proposals of reducing the tension in the region does Mnatsakanyan talk about?" Abdullayeva said.
“Everyone is well aware of the reasons for the criminal acts of the country, which supports terrorism at the state level, enlightens the young generation on the basis of the racial ideology of Garegin Nzhde and fascist values, whose representatives demonstrate aggression and hostility towards Azerbaijanis in various countries,” the spokesperson said.
“Therefore, the opinion of the Armenian minister, who links the suppression of ethnic confrontation with the demonstration of political will in resolving the conflict, is absurd as Armenia has been unable to demonstrate this political will for so many years,” Abdullayeva said.
“To ensure sustainable peace in the region, the Armenian occupying forces must be withdrawn from the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan and the rights of the indigenous population of these lands, who have become refugees and internally displaced people, must be restored,” the spokesperson said. “Armenia must finally demonstrate its political will and take concrete steps in this direction.”
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, 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 the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.