Azerbaijan on Thursday rejected a statement by the Armenian Foreign Ministry released on Wednesday, saying Yerevan’s claims aimed to cover up the country’s occupation policy.
“Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ another false and slanderous statement of March 8 against Azerbaijan, aims at covering up the occupation policy carried out by Armenia for nearly 30 years, as well as the provocations committed against Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis during the current post-conflict period,” a statement by the country’s Foreign Ministry read.
The statement said Armenia’s denial that the unpaved Khankendi-Khalfali-Turshsu road was used by Yerevan’s military for military purposes is “hypocrisy,” according to the surveillance camera footage by the Azerbaijani army.
The statement also called Armenia’s accusation of Azerbaijan not fulfilling its obligations under the Trilateral Statement of November 2020 “completely groundless,” noting that Armenia “violated the norms and principles of international law” by occupying Azerbaijani territories for nearly 30 years.
It also rejected Armenia’s allegations that Azerbaijan is refusing to fulfill the last decision of the International Court of Justice, which was adopted on Feb. 23.
“It is absurd that Armenia, which committed military aggression and massacres in the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan, ... refers to international law and turns to international organizations after the liberation of our territories in 2020," the statement said, also criticizing Armenia's claims that "Azerbaijan is allegedly preparing to carry out ‘ethnic cleansing’ and ‘genocide’ against the Armenian residents of the region.”
It also denied Armenia’s claims that its forces were not present in Azerbaijani territories, noting: “Although it was announced that the forces would be withdrawn in September 2022, it is clear that this has not yet happened.”
“In order to prevent the policy of aggression and illegal actions of the Armenian side against Azerbaijan, it is necessary to establish a border control checkpoint at the beginning of the Lachin road. Azerbaijan will continue to take all necessary measures to protect its national interest and security,” the statement concluded.
Relations between the two former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.
In fall 2020, in 44 days of clashes, Baku liberated several cities, villages, and settlements from Armenian occupation, ending in a Moscow-brokered truce. The peace agreement is celebrated as a triumph in Azerbaijan.
Source: Anadolu Agency