Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 7

Trend:

Armenia’s provocation was prevented at the 25th Anniversary International Exhibition for Food, Beverages and Food Raw Materials PRODEXPO in Moscow, the Azerbaijani Economy Ministry said in a message Feb. 7.

The ministry reacted to Stepanakert Brandy Factory’s appeal for participation in the exhibition.

The Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Foundation (AZPROMO) officially informed the organizer of the exhibition Expocentre OJSC that participation of the enterprise, illegally operating in Azerbaijan’s Khankendi city occupied by Armenians, in the exhibition is unacceptable and contradicts the norms of international law.

Participation of Stepanakert Brandy Factory in the exhibition was prevented by Expocentre due to the joint activity of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Economy and the Azerbaijani embassy in Russia.

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, in 1992 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 withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.