(MENAFN- AzerNews)
By Vafa Ismayilova
Azerbaijani Consul-General in Los Angeles Nasimi Aghayev has urged an end to Armenia's and foreign-based lobby's 'hate-driven agenda' regarding Karabakh.
He made the remarks on his official Twitter page.
'Armenia and its radical lobby must stop holding 25,000 ethnic Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan in Qarabagh [Karabakh] as hostages to their extremist, hate-driven agenda. Once illegal armed groups are withdrawn [from Azerbaijani territories] our [ethnic] Armenian citizens will enjoy equal rights like other Azerbaijani citizens,' he tweeted.
Aghayev also shared an official map of Armenia submitted by Yerevan to the UN and questioned the presence of illegal Armenian armed groups on the Azerbaijani territories, namely in Farrukh village, which was regained by the Azerbaijani armed forces.
'Here is the official map of Armenia submitted by Yerevan to the UN, and the location of the village of Farrukh (site of the latest tension). The question is: What are the Armenian armed groups doing in the internationally recognized sovereign territory of Azerbaijan?' wrote the consul-general.
The diplomat stressed that the reason for the current tension is the failure to completely withdraw illegal Armenian forces from Azerbaijan.
'Almost all media reports and statements from foreign officials conveniently omit to mention an important (and not fully implemented) obligation, enshrined in the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian joint statement of 2020. Complete withdrawal of Armenian forces from Azerbaijan. It is the reason for the current tension,' he tweeted.
Azerbaijani servicemen have hoisted the flag of Azerbaijan in Khojaly region's Farrukh village cleared of the illegal Armenian armed formations on March 27.
Baku earlier dismissed as inaccurate the Russian Defence Ministry statement on the withdrawal of Azerbaijani troops from Farrukh village.
Farrukh enters the administrative area of Pirlar village in Khojaly region located 16 km of Asgaran settlement and 32 km of Khankandi.
The Azerbaijani armed forces regained full control over the village, clearing it from illegal Armenian armed groups, who had to leave Azerbaijan's internationally-recognized territories in Karabakh under the ceasefire deal signed by Baku, Moscow and Yerevan on November 10, 2020.
On March 20, 2022, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in Sugovushan that the so-called Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region functioned in Azerbaijan for many years during the Soviet era for purely political purposes.
'As you know, the Armenians pursued a policy of aggression against our people, and our native Karabakh and a part of East Zangazur were in the hands of Armenians for about 30 years. It had to end and it did. We saw that no negotiations or political steps were bringing us any closer to our goal. We saw and knew that we must be stronger and more determined to protect our rights and restore historical justice. The Azerbaijani state, the Azerbaijani Army, all our Armed Forces fulfilled this historic mission in 2020,' he said.
He stressed that Azerbaijanis will live on liberated territories comfortably, in peace, tranquility and security and that the guarantor of peace and security is the Azerbaijani state and the Azerbaijani armed forces.
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