Monday, March 6 2023 11:37

ArmInfo.Armenia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the following statement of the Azerbaijani act of sabotage in Nagorno-Karabakh: 

"On March 5, as a result of the ambush by Azerbaijani Armed Forces in  Nagorno-Karabakh three servicemen of the Passport and Visa Department  of the Police of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Nagorno-Karabakh  were killed, and one was injured.

"The facts prove that this provocation was pre-planned and instructed  by the highest leadership of Azerbaijan. After the ambush,  Azerbaijan's official bodies spread disinformation alleging that they  received reports that weapons, ammunition and personnel are being  transferred from Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh and acted on these.

"The official version of events put forward by Azerbaijan is absurd:  they have not presented and cannot present any fact and justification  supporting that version. This happens less than two weeks after the  decision of the International Court of Justice that wholly rejected  Azerbaijan's absurd claims on the alleged laying of landmines by  Armenia.

"The video that Nagorno-Karabakh Police has at its disposal proves  that the Azerbaijani military attacked the "UAZ" microbus that  carried four employees of the Nagorno-Karabakh Ministry of Internal  Affairs, who were on their way from Stepanakert to Hin Shen and Mets  Shen villages of Nagorno-Karabakh. Moreover, the videos prove that  there was nothing in the microbus except official documents and a  service pistol.

'The actions of the Azerbaijani forces cannot be described as  anything other than terrorism. In parallel to blocking the Lachin  corridor and creating a humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh for  almost three months, Azerbaijan continues to terrorise the Armenians  of Artsakh by creating inhumane conditions for living in their  homeland with the ultimate goal of ethnic cleansing.

"It is noteworthy that after the International Court of Justice on  February 22 granted Armenia's request to apply a provisional measure  against Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani side not only did not take steps  towards the implementation of the legally binding decision of the  Court but committed new crimes against Armenians of Artsakh,  including civilians.  On February 28, the Azerbaijani armed forces  opened fire on a resident of the village of Myurishen, Martuni region  of Artsakh, who was carrying out agricultural work. The ceasefire was  also violated by the Azerbaijani armed forces on March 2 and on the  night of March 2-3, from the territories of Askeran, Martakert and  Martuni regions under Azerbaijani control.

"The mentioned actions of Azerbaijan are the practical denial of  Baku's sincerity regarding the establishment of peace and stability  in the region. This once again shows the need for guarantees for  ensuring the rights and security of the population of  Nagorno-Karabakh and the international involvement in them.

"The Republic of Armenia calls on the international community,  countries and international organisations interested in the  establishment of real peace in our region to strongly condemn the use  of force and the threat of force by Azerbaijan, as well as another  manifestation of provoking large-scale hostilities and take active  steps to prevent further violations of Azerbaijan's own international  obligations.  

"Under current circumstances, sending an international fact-finding  mission to the Lachin corridor and Nagorno- Karabakh becomes a vital  necessity."