"Armenia must stop hypocrisy and falsified manipulations" Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry responds to Mirzoyan

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry called on Armenia to stop hypocrisy and falsified manipulations, as well as comply with its international legal obligations for the successful completion of the peace process.

As the Foreign Ministry's press service told Caliber.Az, the statement was made in response to Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan's remarks voiced at a press conference with Austrian European and International Affairs Federal Minister Alexander Schallenberg on July 18.

According to the ministry, Mirzoyan, once again accusing Azerbaijan and making a number of unfounded claims, demonstrated that he is not interested in peace and stability in the region.

"The fact that the Armenian Foreign Minister, instead of showing respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, is obstructing the peace process under the pretext of ‘rights and security’ of Armenians living in Karabakh, which has been under occupation for almost 30 years, where ethnic cleansing was carried out against Azerbaijanis, testifies to the true intentions of the Armenian authorities. Speaking about the ‘population of Karabakh’, it is unacceptable to imply only the rights of the Armenian residents and ignore the ‘rights and security’ of the Azerbaijani residents expelled from these lands,” the statement read.

The ministry emphasised that Azerbaijan is the party initiating dialogue with the Armenian residents and it is important to reciprocate these benevolent steps of Azerbaijan.

“At the same time, it should be clear to the Armenian side that Azerbaijan equally ensures and will ensure the rights and security of all ethnic minorities living in the country," the commentary added.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry pointed out that claims of a "tense humanitarian situation" in the region are a political venture and manipulation by Armenia.

"The objection to the transportation of goods along the Aghdam-Khankandi road proposed by Azerbaijan is an example of the groundlessness of these claims. Armenia's distortion of the July 6, 2023 decision of the International Court of Justice on the unanimous rejection of the Armenian side's demand for the liquidation of the Lachin border crossing point, as well as the commission of a military provocation against this point, and smuggling attempts, show that Armenia does not intend to comply with international norms and principles.

At the same time, the fact that the Armenian side, which has violated all boundaries, kept Azerbaijani territories under occupation for almost 30 years and still has not fully withdrawn Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijani territories, put forward the condition of establishing clarity on the state border and claimed that this is the key factor in the negotiation process does not fit into common sense logic.

The fact that Armenia, which has not fulfilled its obligation to open transport communications from the western regions of Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan for the last three years, now hinders and conditions the opening of transport infrastructures under various pretexts shows that this country still does not realize that the policy of self-isolation for almost 30 years has not yielded anything good," the ministry underlined.