BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 17. The views expressed by European Commission’s Lead Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano during an interview with the Armenpress news agency in Brussels on November 17, 2023, are further evidence of the biased approach of the EU representative, Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Aykhan Hajizada said, Trend reports.
"It is regrettable that the representative of the European Union ignores the fact that for 30 years, Armenia violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, carried out a policy of ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis, as a result of which more than one million Azerbaijanis became internally displaced persons and refugees. We remind the EU representative once again that the 44-day war, as well as the 24-hour anti-terror measures in September 2023, happened within the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan in accordance with the norms and principles of international law, and that our country has restored its sovereignty through legal means. It is unacceptable for the EU representative to accuse Azerbaijan of unilateral military steps, despite the fact that Azerbaijan has repeatedly stated that the Armenian armed forces that used to be deployed in our territories, are a source of danger in the region and has repeatedly called for their immediate withdrawal in accordance with international law. Regarding the relocation of Armenian residents living in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan to Armenia based on their personal decision, we consider the statement of the EU representative on the initiative to create an international mechanism to protect the rights and safety of Armenian residents as interference in the reintegration process initiated by Azerbaijan. Karabakh is an integral part of Azerbaijan, the rights and security of the Armenian population living in this region will be ensured in accordance with the Constitution of Azerbaijan. We once again emphasize Azerbaijan's strong commitment to the normalization of relations and peace with Armenia, and this position has been confirmed by the consistent steps we have taken as the initiator of the peace agreement since November 2020," the spokesman said.