Azerbaijan rejects EU official’s statement as groundless

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has rejected a statement by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, which deliberately distorted the reasons for the recent military escalation in sovereign Azerbaijani territories.

“We deplore the statement by the European Union that deliberately distorts the reasons for recent military escalation, and Azerbaijan’s actions to end the illegal military activities undertaken by Armenian armed forces both against the civilians and military personnel of Azerbaijan on its sovereign territories,” Caliber.Az reports, citing the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

“The military anti-terror operation currently carried out by Azerbaijan to a number of large-scale military provocations and terror attacks by illegal Armenian armed forces, when in one day only two civilians and four military personnel died in a mine explosion due to sabotage actions of Armenian forces. Moreover, as a result of mortar attacks two military personnel were injured.

“Azerbaijan’s counter-terrorism measures have been launched to prevent possible large-scale provocations by the Armenian armed forces that in contrary to the Trilateral Statement have not been withdrawn yet.

“Any military presence in the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan in violation of international law is a serious threat to regional peace and security, and Azerbaijan’s current actions are aimed at disbanding these illegal forces and dissolution of the puppet regime.

“Azerbaijan does not target civilian Armenian residents, and any claim in this regard is groundless and unacceptable.

“Azerbaijan is fully committed to protecting all its residents, including of Armenian nationality, and restore its constitutional system throughout whole Azerbaijan’s territories,” the statement said.