BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 16. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met today with US State Department's Senior Advisor for Caucasus Negotiations Louis Bono, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.
The situation in the region, the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia, current threats and challenges were discussed during the meeting.
Bayramov emphasized that Armenia and its unlawful regime are the obstructing parties in the implementation of the agreement on the simultaneous opening of the Aghdam-Khankendi and Lachin-Khankendi roads, reached during the contacts between President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on September 1.
He added that this fact once again demonstrates that, contrary to claims of a supposed "humanitarian crisis" and "blockade" in the region, the situation is of a political nature rather than a humanitarian one.
The minister also noted the unacceptability of reiterating the Armenian side's claims by international partners, including the US, which are well-informed about the situation in the region.
Besides, he underscored that despite Armenia's constant military and political provocations, its smear campaign against Azerbaijan, and its support for separatism on Azerbaijani territories, Azerbaijan continues to maintain a constructive position.
Bayramov also regretted over the unfounded claims of Armenia, which it raises with the aim of diverting attention from the continued presence of Armenian armed forces [which haven't been withdrawn contrary to the trilateral statement signed by Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian leaders following the 2020 second Karabakh war] on Azerbaijani territories, and these claims were voiced by the US Acting Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Yuri Kim.
According to the minister, non-mentioning of Armenia and its unlawful regime's obstruction of the parallel opening of the Aghdam-Khankendi and Lachin-Khankendi roads by the US official [Yuri Kim] in the Senate creates a false impression of the situation.
He pointed out that Armenia's recent actions, including Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's congratulatory message dated September 2 (regarding anniversary of illegal referendum held by illegal regime in Azerbaijan's Karabakh in 1991), encouraging separatism on Azerbaijani territories, have dealt a serious blow to the normalization and peace process.
During the meeting, Bayramov reiterated Azerbaijan's commitment to the agreement on the parallel use of the above mentioned roads.
Additionally, the meeting included an exchange of views on other mutually interesting issues.
In order to prevent the illegal transfer of manpower, ammunition, mines, as well as other military means from Armenia to Armenian armed formations on the territory of Azerbaijan, carried out contrary to the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020, and adequate to the unilateral establishment by Armenia of a border checkpoint at the entrance to the Lachin-Khankendi road on the border with Azerbaijan on April 22, a border checkpoint was established at 12:00 (GMT+4) on April 23 by the units of the State Border Guard Service of Azerbaijan at the beginning of the Lachin-Khankendi road on the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan, on the border with Armenia.
On September 9, at Russia’s initiative, in accordance with the memorandum of cooperation between the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society and the Russian Red Cross Society, in accordance with the legislation of the Republic of Azerbaijan, one heavy truck with food crossed the Samur checkpoint into the territory of Azerbaijan.
In order to meet the food needs of Armenian residents living in the Karabakh economic region of Azerbaijan, the truck was set to deliver the supplies to Khankendi via the Aghdam-Askeran road.
However, the truck stood in Barda for two days, as the separatists in Karabakh refused to accept the cargo.
Meanwhile, the trucks with 40 tons of flour have been on the Aghdam-Khankendi road since August 29 in front of the Russian peacekeepers’ post. Employees of the Azerbaijan Red Crescent Society and volunteers spend the night in tents erected on the territory. They said that they would remain here until food supplies were delivered to the Armenian residents of Khankendi.