BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 11. Azerbaijan condemns and rejects the groundless allegations against Azerbaijan voiced by Josep Borrell, the European Union’s (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, during a joint press conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan on 13 February, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a statement, Trend reports.
"The High Representative Joseph Borrell’s whitewashing of Armenia, which committed the act of armed aggression, is considered as turning a blind eye to its military provocation. Unfortunately, the EU side is dismissive toward the fact of injury of an Azerbaijani serviceman as a result of an unprovoked sniper attack following 5 months of stable situation.
Azerbaijan’s response to the provocation was totally adequate and of a local character. These response measures have also prevented Armenia from further expanding its military escalation.
Moreover, we must reiterate that the proposal of the High Representative of the European Union for the distancing of forces, which has no practical significance, is regretful. The EU should take into account the fact that the mercenaries deployed by Armenia in border regions under the “patronage of the European Union Mission” jeopardize the lives of Azerbaijani servicemen and civilians.
Furthermore, it is unacceptable to refer to residents of Armenian origin who voluntarily departed Azerbaijan’s Karabakh economic region as displaced people, and to utilize non-existent names such as “Nagorno-Karabakh” referring to this region, which is an Azerbaijani territory. The EU is also well aware that the government of Azerbaijan has repeatedly requested that Armenian residents remain in their houses.
Unfortunately, despite the High Representative has corrected the reference about the figures in relation to the Armenian residents who left the territory, that has not been voiced even by the Armenians, it is clear that the representative is under the influence of Armenian propaganda in this matter.
Yet again, we note with regret that despite the President of the European Council Charles Michel’s peace initiatives, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, by taking a unilateral pro-Armenian stance, deliberately creates an impasse between Azerbaijan and the European Union institutions, while further isolating himself from the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process", the statement says.