Details added: first version posted on 12:26
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept.2
Trend:
Once again, we are witnessing the dissemination of unfounded and completely misleading information against Azerbaijan without being based on a certain fact or a reliable source, Spokesperson for Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, Leyla Abdullayeva said.
Abdullayeva made the remark commenting an article from Russia’s 'Nezavisimaya Gazeta' newspaper, Trend reports on September 2.
“The Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan regards this as a smear campaign against our country,” the spokesperson noted.
Earlier the Russian ‘Nezavisimaya Gazeta’ newspaper published an article alleging the transfer of militants from Syria to Azerbaijan, who are preparing for an attack against Armenia.
Abdullayeva, commenting on the article, said, no doubt that this fake campaign has been launched by Armenia which itself attracts mercenaries and terrorists from the Middle East as a part of its aggressive policy against Azerbaijan.
“It is well known that Armenia declared Monte Melkonyan, who for many years was one of the members and leaders of 'ASALA' terrorist organization in Lebanon, and then directly participated in the occupation of Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh region, as a national hero,” she reminded.
“The acts of "heroism" of this ardent terrorist were included in the textbooks of secondary schools in Armenia. Armenia, which is currently facing a mobilization problem and planning to recruit armed groups voluntarily, including foreign mercenaries, is trying to divert the attention of the international community from its nefarious plans by spreading such false information against Azerbaijan,” she noted.
“We emphasize that Azerbaijan has a strong and professional army, and our country does not need any outside forces to give a decent response to enemy forces, as well as to restore its territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.," spokesperson summed up.
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.