Azerbaijan officially assumed responsibility for aggression – FM Mirzoyan tells diplomatic corps

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan held a meeting with foreign ambassadors on August 4.

Mirzoyan drew the attention of the ambassadors to the situation created as a result of Azerbaijan’s aggressive actions and provocations in Nagorno Karabakh. The FM said that the Azerbaijani Armed Forces – by once again violating the November 9, 2020 trilateral statement of the leaders of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan on cessation of hostilities in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone – launched aggression in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping troops, which led to 2 soldiers of the Nagorno Karabakh Defense Army being killed and 19 others wounded.

The Armenian FM specially emphasized that the Azerbaijani side has officially and overtly assumed the responsibility of the aggression, evidence of which are the statements released by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry and Foreign Affairs Ministry, and the ceasefire violations recorded by the Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno Karabakh.

FM Mirzoyan said that before the aggression, the Azeri side submitted a letter to the Russian peacekeeping contingent regarding transferring control of the Lachin Corridor, according to which the Azerbaijani side is planning to change the route which is presently passing through Lachin Corridor, which is a gross violation of the November 9 trilateral statement because point 6 of the statement clearly states that with agreement of the parties, meaning Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, a plan for the construction of a new route along the Lachin corridor shall be determined within the next three years, whereas there is no such plan approved in a trilateral format.

FM Mirzoyan underscored that to Armenia’s efforts for achieving regional stability and peace the Azerbaijani authorities are responding with Armenophobic rhetoric, aggressive statements and undisguised threats of using force. The FM said that Azerbaijan’s continuous policy to subject Nagorno Karabakh to ethnic cleansing is unacceptable.

The Armenian FM also addressed the outstanding humanitarian issues caused by the 44-day war, emphasizing that by violating international humanitarian law Azerbaijan continues to hold Armenian PoWs, including civilians, in captivity.

FM Mirzoyan reiterated Armenia’s stance aimed at the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict through the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship mandate – the only international format authorized by the UN Security Council.

It was also highlighted that the international community’s coordinated and united support is needed for supporting Armenia’s agenda of reaching peace in the South Caucasus.