BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 21. Extremely irresponsible statements by French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna are aimed at distorting the realities in the region. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry commented on Catherine Colonna's statement on the results of anti-terrorist activities carried out in Azerbaijan's Karabakh region, Trend reports.
"The local anti-terrorist measures of Azerbaijan's armed forces, undertaken to prevent further military provocations and terrorist acts by Armenia's illegal armed formations on the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan, were implemented in full compliance with international law, including international humanitarian law," the ministry said.
The Foreign Ministry also noted that instead of condemning Armenia's failure to comply with its obligation to withdraw its armed forces and its politico-military provocations, including the Armenian Prime Minister's irresponsible congratulatory message to a fictitious regime supported by that country for the past 30 years, France's statements against Azerbaijan are nothing but encouragement of separatism and revanchist forces within Armenia.
"Despite the failure of France's attempts to isolate Azerbaijan at previous UN Security Council meetings, another attempt by this country to use the Security Council for a policy with a limited understanding of the region and denial of existing truths is not only dangerous but also does not serve the establishment of peace and security in the region," the Azerbaijani Ministry emphasized.
The ministry added that Azerbaijan has never targeted civilians and is committed to the process of reintegration of ethnic Armenians, ensuring their rights and security within the framework of the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Thus, France's claims about the "mass deportation" of the Armenian population only show that France is once again trying to blame Azerbaijan.
"The early complete disarmament and withdrawal of all illegal armed groups and the dismantling of the illegal regime are key to creating conditions for a meaningful dialogue between representatives of the central government and people of Armenian descent on their reintegration into the constitutional framework of Azerbaijan as equal citizens. We believe that this in turn will contribute to the process of normalizing relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia," the ministry commented.
"At a time when the practical implementation of disarmament and demilitarization, as well as direct dialogue between the residents of Armenian origin and representatives of Azerbaijan, is beginning, the consideration of the situation by the international community, in particular France, should be in line with the norms of international law based on respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty," the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated.