Baku refers to international law in context of checkpoint on Lachin  corridor

ArmInfo.The Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, on another occasion, made groundless  allegations about the situation in the region in his interview with Le Monde, Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a commentary.

According to MFA, the identification by the Prime Minister of Armenia  of a puppet regime established by Armenia through the gravest war  crimes and crimes against humanity, including ethnic cleansing and  genocide against the Azerbaijani population of the region, as  "democratically elected authorities," is a vivid example of a  continuing policy of aggression and actions by Armenian officials.  This assertion by the Prime Minister of Armenia is also in clear  contradiction with the statement that "Armenia recognizes  Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, including Karabakh."

"Armenia, as a country that supports aggression policy and  separatism, while demanding the removal of the Lachin border  checkpoint that hinders the illegal activities against Azerbaijan in  the region, has to understand that the establishment of a checkpoint  in Lachin is completely in line with international law.  This measure  was undertaken to prevent the malign actions by Armenia, and the  existence of the checkpoint is not a subject of discussion. Also, the  International Court of Justice, while rejecting Armenia's mentioned  request in its Order of July 6, once again has confirmed that  Azerbaijan's measure to establish a checkpoint on the border is a  sovereign and legitimate decision.

"Moreover, the refusal by the Armenian side of the initiative and  proposal by the Azerbaijani side to use the "Aghdam-Khankandi" road  to meet the needs of the Armenian residents of the Karabakh region  that were positively met by the international actors, including the  European Council President Charles Michel, demonstrates that  allegations about a "grave humanitarian situation" in the region do  not reflect reality.  This is also an indication of Armenia's  intention to misuse the current situation as political blackmail.   Armenia pursues the continuation of illegal activities in the  territory of Azerbaijan, the MFA said.

The ministry added that the dissemination by the Armenian Prime  Minister of allegations about the "blockade," while turning a blind  eye to the activities of the International Red Cross Committee in the  region, the passage of dozens of Armenian residents through the  checkpoint in both directions on a daily basis, and the initiation by  Azerbaijan about using alternative routes, including the  "Aghdam-Khankandi" road, is an attempt to manipulate international  public opinion.

According to the commentary, it is absurd and hypocritical that  Armenia, while being a country, grossly violating all the norms and  principles of international law for 30 years, ignoring four UN  Security Council Resolutions, as well as warnings by international  organizations against Armenian aggression and a policy of ethnic  cleansing towards Azerbaijan, calls for measures against Azerbaijan  at the international level.

"Ending attempts by Armenian officials to intervene in the  reintegration measures of Armenians living in their sovereign  territories of Azerbaijan, unconditional confirmation of Azerbaijan's  sovereignty and territorial integrity by Armenia both in words and  deeds are the most necessary conditions to ensure peace in the  region.

"It is absolutely unacceptable for the Armenian leadership to  condition the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan  under any pretext, it is a blow to the efforts aimed at the  normalization of relations between the two countries and serves to  maintain tension in the region.

"The Armenian side must finally understand that its efforts to  obstruct the restoration of peace and stability in the region will  not yield any results.

"We call on the Armenian side to put an end to provocative actions  and statements and to comply with its international obligations,"  Azerbaijan's MFA said.