(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 18. The Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has held a briefing for the
diplomatic corps accredited in the country, Trend reports.
The briefing was held with the participation of Assistant to the
President of Azerbaijan, Head of the Foreign Policy Department of
the Administration of the President of Azerbaijan Hikmat Hajiyev,
Representative of the President of Azerbaijan for Special
Assignments Elchin Amirbayov and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Fariz Rzayev.
During the briefing, the following main points were
highlighted:
The ministry emphasized that despite all the efforts of
Azerbaijan through the involved international partners, Armenia and
the illegal structure it has installed in the sovereign territories
of Azerbaijan continue to undermine the normalization process and
to reject all the proposals aimed at decreasing tension.
On the contrary, Azerbaijan faces persistent provocative steps
from the opposite side. The so-called "presidential elections" in
the Karabahh region are a clear example in this regard. Despite
Azerbaijan's messages, the Armenian side did not reverse its
path.
Türkiye, Pakistan, Ukraine, the UK, Georgia, Moldova, Romania,
Hungary, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Germany, the United
States, Iran, and international organizations such as the United
Nations, the Organization of Turkic States, the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation, and the European Union made statements that
denounced and did not recognize "illegal elections" and their
legitimacy.
Taking this opportunity, the ministry thanked all the individual
states and international organizations that stood behind
international law and spoke clearly against this unlawful,
illegitimate, and utterly provocative step by the Armenian
side.
For the past several months, efforts have continued through
different involved partners, in particular Russia, the US, and the
EU, to materialize the simultaneous use of Aghdam-Khankendi and
Lachin-Khankendi roads for the delivery of goods to Armenian
residents.
In all diplomatic discussions, all interlocutors, without
exception, confirmed that the formula of simultaneous passages from
Lachin and Aghdam represents a legitimate and reasonable way out of
the current impasse.
The ministry highlighted that the call for simultaneous passages
was voiced in various statements issued by the US Department of
State, Russian Foreign Ministry, and Spokesperson of the EU Council
President, as well as in interventions delivered at the OSCE
Permanent Council meeting held on September 12.
On September 12, after long discussions and delays, the truck of
the Russian Red Cross Society was finally allowed to pass through
Aghdam to Khankendi. While it was the shared expectation of all
involved that this would be momentum for the realization of the
simultaneous passages that have been on the table for months, these
hopes proved to be wrong again.
On September 10, within high-level contacts with the US and
other partners, Azerbaijan once again confirmed its adherence to
simultaneous passage by the ICRC from Lachin and Aghdam with the
implementation of Azerbaijan's national border and customs control
requirements when it comes to the passage from Lachin.
On September 11, shortly after receiving relevant requests from
the ICRC for the passage of goods, the Azerbaijani side conveyed
its readiness to facilitate the passage of goods as enlisted in
these official requests and asked the ICRC to notify the date and
time when the ICRC intends to organize such a simultaneous passage.
In response, we got the message that the ICRC has no green light
from the Armenian side to accept the goods and ensure the security
of the ICRC convoys.
While Azerbaijan responded to the appeals of involved
international partners consistently and considered in good faith
different options for simultaneous passages from Lachin and Aghdam,
the Armenian side, with the same level of consistency, backtracked
from agreements and introduced new pretexts.
The Armenian side's continued objection to the opening of the
roads was political and had nothing to do with whatever
"humanitarian concerns" Armenia's aim is to sustain the tools and
means to continue fueling separatism in the territory of
Azerbaijan. The ordinary residents are kept hostage to such a
political adventure.
Against this backdrop, the recent public hearing in the US
Senate was nothing but an orchestrated show aimed at pleasing the
Armenian lobby. We regret that the State Department representative
joined one-sided anti-Azerbaijani statements produced by Armenian
lobbyists.
It has already been several weeks since the issue of
simultaneous passages from Lachin and Aghdam in observance of
Azerbaijan's legislation, including customs requirements, was
discussed with the US side at various levels. Therefore, the reason
for the current impasse is crystal clear to the US side.
Notwithstanding this, the testimony at the US Senate replicated the
false Armenian narrative.
Azerbaijan has always been ready to facilitate the consecutive
and parallel use of both roads, as discussed accordingly during the
July 15 meeting between the leaders in Brussels and during the
September 1st phone conversation between the President of
Azerbaijan and the Secretary of State of the US.
However, for several months, it has not materialized because of
the indifference of the Armenian side to the solution, the
continuous politicization of humanitarian delivery, and the
pursuance of separatism and segregation. Another reason was to
accuse Azerbaijan of creating the so-called humanitarian crisis,
which was absolutely groundless. Unfortunately, some members of the
political circles of some countries associated themselves with
these fake accusations.
On September 17, the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan received an
initial notification from the ICRC that the Armenian side had
agreed to accept the goods with parallel passage through the
Aghdam-Khankandi and Lachin-Khankandi roads.
On September 18, after receiving an official note verbale on the
passage by the ICRC, at 7:00 (GMT +4), the ministry was able to
organize the simultaneous passage of two vehicles of the ICRC, one
via Aghdam-Khankandi and another via Lachin-Khankandi roads, which
once again demonstrated that the accusations against Azerbaijan on
"blockade" have no ground.
At the same time, the situation around the issue of delivery of
goods is not isolated from Armenia's increased military and
political provocations targeting Azerbaijan's sovereignty and
territorial integrity.
Armenia's more than 10,000-strong armed forces continue to be
illegally stationed in the territory of Azerbaijan [contrary to the
trilateral statement of November 10, 2020 signed by Azerbaijani,
Armenian, and Russian leaders following the second Karabakh war].
More than one hundred tanks and other armored vehicles, more than
two hundred heavy artillery pieces, including multiple rocket
launchers, dozens of different types of radio and electronic
warfare equipment, and more than two hundred mortars are currently
deployed in the territory of Azerbaijan, where the Russian
peacekeeping contingent has been temporarily deployed [under the
trilateral statement].
Armenia provides technical, military, logistical, and financial
support to sustain these forces in violation of its obligations and
commitments. The armed formations in Azerbaijan's territory are
financed directly from the state budget of Armenia. Armenia
demonstratively violates the trilateral statement of November 10,
2020, since Article 4 clearly stipulates that the Armenian armed
forces must withdraw in parallel with the deployment of a
peacekeeping contingent from Russia.
The use of radio-electronic warfare equipment illegally deployed
in the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan is of particular concern.
Not only civilian aircraft of Azerbaijani Airlines but also those
of foreign countries have been targeted for radio-electronic
interference for the last several months, including on July 13,
July 24, July 27, August 21, and September 1, posing a serious risk
and threat to the safety and security of people and air traffic.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and Russian
peacekeeping contingent were informed of such threatening
actions.
Past days have witnessed even more intensified military
provocations accompanied by increased military build-up, both along
the undelimited border between Azerbaijan and Armenia and in
Azerbaijan's Karabakh region. Armenia digs new trenches, builds
fortifications, and accumulates personnel and equipment in an
apparent effort to launch another military attack.
Armenia continues to plant new landmines in the territory of
Azerbaijan. Since August 2022, a total of 2,728 landmines made in
Armenia in 2021 were detected and neutralized, out of which 1,119
were in the Kalbajar and Lachin districts of Azerbaijan along the
border area with Armenia, as well as 1,609 in the territory of the
Karabakh Economic Region. Both the Russian peacekeeping contingent
and heads of the Turkish-Russian Joint Monitoring Center, as well
as the military representatives of foreign countries, visited the
area where these landmines were demonstrated.
One of the reasons for the establishment of the Lachin border
checkpoint was to prevent the illegal military activities and
smuggling mentioned.
A "congratulatory message" by the Prime Minister of Armenia on
the occasion of the so-called anniversary of the establishment of
an illegal puppet structure in the territory of Azerbaijan cannot
but provide yet another evidence that Armenia is not sincere in its
previous statements on the recognition of the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
On the contrary, with its latest statements and actions, the
Armenian leadership essentially nullified these previous
statements.
Armenian diplomatic missions accredited by different
international organizations continue to distribute documents on
behalf of the illegal regime, again despite Armenia's expressed
recognition of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan.
The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan are as
important as those of any other country. And consequently,
Azerbaijan is as entitled as any other country in the world to
defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity by all means
safeguarded under international law.
At this critical juncture, making Armenia reverse its dangerous
path is more important and required than ever.
Armenia and the junta it continues to maintain in the sovereign
territories of Azerbaijan through all possible ideological,
political, military, financial, and other means must face a unified
and clear stance by the international community that relying on the
old tactic of winning time has no chance to yield the outcome they
desire.
Azerbaijan is interested in finding a solution and has proved it
in its sincere engagement with international actors, which offered
their good offices and mediation services. In all instances,
without exception, the Armenian side violated previously reached
agreements under different pretexts. The true reason is one and the
same: to prolong the situation, artificially ignite tension, and
ultimately derail the normalization process.
Azerbaijan's commitment to the peace process is strong and has
been proven through the consistent steps we have been taking since
November 2020.
Azerbaijan demands from Armenia to stop its military buildup,
refrain from revanchist plans, stop contesting and violating
Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty, and stop
sponsoring separatism and terrorism in the Karabakh region of
Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan also demands to immediately begin to withdraw
Armenian military personnel, dissolve the military and so-called
"government" structures of the Armenian-subordinated puppet regime,
and disarm all Armenian armed forces illegally located in
Azerbaijan's territories. In this case, amnesty can be applied to
so-called "representatives" of an illegal regime.