Yerevan bears all responsibility for tension on contact line

/By AzerNews/

By Sara Rajabova

Baku has slammed Yerevan for the aggravation of tension on the contact line of Armenian-Azerbaijani armed forces in the past several days.

“All the responsibility for the tense situation on the line of contact between the Armenian and Azerbaijani troops rests entirely on Armenia, an invader state, which violates international law and the UN Charter,” said Hikmet Hajiyev, the Head of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s press service on January 26.

Hajiyev was commenting on the recent provocations of Armenia that led to casualties on both sides.

Armenian sabotage and reconnaissance groups attempted to attack the positions of the Azerbaijani army along the frontline and on the contact line between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported on January 26. While preventing the enemy attack, three servicemen of the Azerbaijani army were martyred and some others wounded.

The Ministry also said during January, 17 Armenian servicemen were killed and about 20 others wounded.

Hajiyev noted that the presence of the Armenian armed forces in Azerbaijan’s territories creates tension that threatens regional stability and security.

He added that the provocative actions of Armenia aimed at the aggravation of the situation, prevent the settlement of the conflict saying Armenia is seeking to maintain the status quo.

Hajiyev further noted that the Armenian regime uses “the tense situation on the line of contact between troops” as an excuse to divert attention from the political, economic and demographic crisis in the country, especially from the tense political situation that has arisen in recent days.

He said the numerous losses of the Armenian side in the last days are the results of the irresponsible policy of the Armenian regime.

“Amid all these provocative actions, Armenia’s participation in the negotiation process is a political gesture intended to deceive international community,” he said.

Hajiyev reiterated that first Armenia has to withdraw its occupying forces from Azerbaijan’s territories to pave the way for settlement of the conflict.

Armenia captured Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions from Azerbaijan in a war that followed the Soviet breakup in 1991. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and nearly 1 million were displaced as a result of the war.Large-scale hostilities ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire in 1994 but Armenia continued the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for immediate and unconditional withdrawal.

Peace talks mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. have produced no results so far.