ArmInfo. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia responded to the statement of the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan, which responded to today's statement by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan.
Let us recall that today at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, Pashinyan said that last week the military- political situation in the South Caucasus worsened significantly, which was due to the accumulation of Azerbaijani troops along the line of contact with Nagorno-Karabakh and on the border with Armenia. The policy of encroachment on the sovereign territory of Armenia continues, the head of government also said.
Recalling that on September 1, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces launched another provocation against the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia in the Sotk section of the Gegharkunik region, as a result of which 3 servicemen of the Armenian Ministry of Defense were killed, as well as the ongoing illegal blocking of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan, the Armenian Prime Minister noted that with the latest actions Baku is demonstrating its intention to undertake a new military provocation against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Baku stated that Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's accusations against Azerbaijan are "an integral part of another false political manipulation by Armenia." According to the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan, "the real threat to security in the region is the ongoing military-political provocations by Armenia, the ongoing claims of the Armenian side, including those of the Prime Minister, against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, the Armenian Armed Forces, which, contrary to obligations, they have not yet been withdrawn from Azerbaijani territories> (Official Yerevan has repeatedly stated that Armenia does not have armed forces in Nagorno-Karabakh, ed. note).
"To establish peace and security in the region, the Armenian side must stop territorial claims against Azerbaijan, stop military and political provocations, and stop obstacles to the successful completion of the negotiation process on a peace treaty," official Baku states.
Regarding the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan after the speech of Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan at the meeting of the Government of Armenia on September 7, 2023, the Armenia's Foreign Office considered it necessary to emphasise the following.
-Azerbaijani users of social networks and media themselves published information regarding the accumulation of Azerbaijani troops near the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and along the contract line in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is confirmed by information from other sources as well.
-In the above-mentioned speech, the Prime Minister of Armenia stated that Armenia is committed to the agreements reached on October 6, 2022 in Prague, October 31, 2022 in Sochi and May 14, 2023 in Brussels, which confirmed the mutual unconditional recognition by Armenia and Azerbaijan of each other's territorial integrity. Armenia has no territorial claims against Azerbaijan and expects the same from Azerbaijan, which has not yet publicly confirmed its commitment to these agreements.
-Armenia is not interested in military escalation, it is now proposing mechanisms to exclude such risks, as it did previously, but until now has not yet received answers. Armenia is ready to discuss the introduction of other effective mechanisms as well.
-Armenia is ready to continue making active efforts to complete the work on the draft of the agreement on peace and normalization of relations with Azerbaijan and sign it as soon as possible.
-Armenia is dedicated and remains committed to the agenda of peace and stability in the South Caucasus, while emphasising the need for similar rhetoric and practical signals from official Baku.
-It is obvious that the blockade of the Lachin corridor, the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh and the absence of Baku-Stepanakert dialogue under an international mechanism do not contribute to the improvement of the atmosphere in the region.