(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 23. The Government of
Azerbaijan, taking into account the continued systematic use of the
Lachin-Khankendi road for illicit purposes by the Armenian side
contrary to the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020, and
resulting security threats, took appropriate measures to establish
control at the starting point of the road on the border between
Azerbaijan and Armenia, trend reports citing Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.
"Over the past two and half years since the signing of the
Trilateral Statement the Azerbaijani side has consistently called
attention to large-scale abuse of the Lachin road by the Armenia.
This includes the rotation of personnel of Armenian armed forces
that continue to be illegally stationed in the territory of
Azerbaijan, the transfer of weapons and ammunition, entrance of
terrorists, as well as illicit trafficking of natural resources and
cultural property.
Transportation of landmines through the Lachin road, followed by
their subsequent planting on the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan,
has particularly grave consequences. Since August 2022, more than
2700 anti-personnel landmine produced in Armenia in 2021 have
already been detected in the Lachin and Kalbajar districts of
Azerbaijan. Evidently, those landmines have been transported to the
territory of Azerbaijan through the Lachin road in a blatant
violation of the Trilateral Statement. Just recently, on April 22,
2023, a military truck of Azerbaijan's Army was exploded hitting a
2021-production-landmine planted by Armenians, with 3 of our
servicemen injured. Since the end of the war 294 Azerbaijanis
became the landmine victims.
Moreover, on April 22 surveillance cameras of the Ministry of
Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan recorded the entrance of to
the territory of Azerbaijan of two military-purpose container
houses and convoy of military vehicles of Armenia, contrary to the
Trilateral statement, and the norms and principles of international
law. Later, at the beginning of the Lachin-Khankendi road, the
placement of military-purpose container houses and the construction
of military infrastructure by Armenia were observed at the point
closest to the territory of Azerbaijan.
In light of these threats and provocations, the establishment of
border control mechanism at the starting point of the Lachin road
will serve to transparency over the movement along the road, the
rule of law, and thus, ensure the security and safety of the
movement.
Providing border security, as well as ensuring safe traffic on
the road, is the prerogative of the Government of Azerbaijan, and
an essential prerequisite for the national security, state
sovereignty and rule of law.
In line with obligations of the Trilateral Statement, in the
framework of this measure of security guarantee by the Republic of
Azerbaijan for the movement of citizens, vehicles and cargo through
the Lachin road, proper conditions will be ensured for the
transparent and regulated passage of Armenian residents living in
the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan from this checkpoint to Armenia
and Azerbaijan in both directions.
The said control mechanism shall be implemented in interaction
with the Russian peacekeeping force.
The Azerbaijani side declares its readiness to cooperation with
a view to ensuring safe and transparent control regime at the
border with Armenia," the ministry said.