Commentary on the fake and false Statement of March 8 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia against Azerbaijan

Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ another false and slanderous statement of March 8 against Azerbaijan, aims at covering up the occupation policy carried out by Armenia for nearly 30 years as well as the provocations committed against Azerbaijan and Azerbaijanis during the current post-conflict period.

The denial of the fact that the unpaved road of Khankendi-Khalfali-Turshsu was once again openly used for military purposes by the vehicles of the Armenian armed forces, as recorded by the surveillance cameras of the units of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan and exhibited by the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, is hypocrisy.

Accusation of non-fulfillment of obligations by Azerbaijan, whose territories are occupied by Armenia, which grossly violated the norms and principles of international law in the last 30 years and most of the commitments undertaken within the Trilateral Statement of November 10, 2020 following the 2020 war, is completely groundless.

In a similar vein, it is unacceptable for Armenia, which tries to distort the last decision of the International Court of Justice and present dreams as reality, to claim that Azerbaijan is refusing to fulfill the Court’s decision.

All in all, it is absurd that Armenia, which since independence committed military aggression and massacres in the internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan, devastated the occupied cities and hundreds of villages, carried out ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis, expelled hundreds of thousands of people from their native lands, hindered the missions of international organizations to the region, to refer to international law and turning to international organizations after the liberation of our territories in 2020, as well as to claim that Azerbaijan is allegedly preparing to carry out “ethnic cleansing” and “genocide” against the Armenian residents of the region.

Regarding the so-called claim of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia that the Armenia’s Armed Forces are not present in the territories of Azerbaijan, we remind once again that Armenia tried to prove that they did not occupy the territories of Azerbaijan not only today, but even during the almost 30 years of occupation. However, it is clear that the territory of Azerbaijan was occupied by Armenia, that it deployed all its forces in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, the main military equipment imported by Armenia was transferred to the territory of Azerbaijan, that all forces were subordinate to the Minister of Defense of Armenia, and that criminal cases were opened against many military personnel and they were arrested on the territory of Armenia.

At the same time, it is known that the Armenian political leadership has admitted that the Armenian forces have not been withdrawn from the territory of Azerbaijan. Although it was announced that the forces would be withdrawn in September 2022, it is clear that this has not yet happened. As for the obligation on which forces should be withdrawn from the territory of Azerbaijan, we reiterate once again that according to paragraph 4 of the Statement of November 10, 2020, it is intended to withdraw all Armenian armed forces from the territory of Azerbaijan, and manipulations in this matter are inadmissible.

In order to prevent the policy of aggression and illegal actions of the Armenian side against Azerbaijan, it is necessary to establish a border control checkpoint at the beginning of the Lachin road.

Azerbaijan will continue to take all necessary measures to protect its national interest and security.