Azerbaijan's counter-terrorism measures aim to prevent Armenian provocations in Garabagh President Aliyev tells Secretary Blinken

On September 19, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a phone call to the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev.

During the telephone conversation, an exchange of views took place on the current situation in the Garabagh region of Azerbaijan, Azertag reports.

President Aliyev told Secretary Blinken that reconnaissance and sabotage groups of units of the Armenian Armed Forces in the Garabagh region of Azerbaijan had previously laid mines for terrorist purposes, as a result of which civilians and police officers were killed, and also fired at the Azerbaijani army units with mortars and small arms of various calibres.

President Aliyev said these actions, including the holding of so-called “presidential elections” in Garabagh on September 9, are a continuation of deliberate provocations by Armenia and the notorious separatist entity created and supported by Yerevan against the sovereignty of Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani president added that Azerbaijan had to begin local anti-terrorist measures in the region to prevent such provocative actions.

He said during anti-terrorist measures, civilians and infrastructure facilities are not targeted, and only legitimate military targets are disabled.

President Aliyev told Secretary Blinken that in order to discuss issues of reintegration, the Administration of the President of Azerbaijan several times invited representatives of the Armenian population living in the Garabagh region to dialogue, but they refused this; however, during anti-terrorism events of a local nature, they were invited again to dialogue.

The head of state said that anti-terrorist measures would be stopped in the event of the laying down of arms by the formations of the Armenian army in Garabagh and their disarmament.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed concern about the current situation, called for a ceasefire and reaffirmed Washington's support for direct dialogue between Baku and representatives of Armenians living in the Garabagh region.