TODAY.AZ / Politics

Azerbaijani MFA condemns visit of Russian MP to occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region

17 October 2020 [12:22] - TODAY.AZ

Azerbaijan strongly condemns the illegal visit of Vitaly Milonov, a member of the Russian State Duma from the ruling United Russia party, to the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry told Trend on Oct.17.

According to the ministry, the illegal visit amid the new aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan and openly demonstrating support to illegal puppet regime in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan is categorically contrary to high-level relations between Azerbaijan and Russia.

"Such an irresponsible step by a State Duma deputy varies with the official position of Russia in support of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. For illegal visits to the occupied territories of the country in violation of the relevant legislation of Azerbaijan, the name of Vitaly Milonov was included in the list of foreign citizens who are prohibited from entering Azerbaijan," the ministry said.

Armenian Armed Forces launched a large-scale military attack on positions of the Azerbaijani army on the front line, using large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery on Sept. 27.

Azerbaijan responded with a counter-offensive along the entire front. As a result of retaliation, Azerbaijani troops liberated a number of territories previously occupied by Armenia, as well as take important, strategic heights under control.

The fighting continued into October 2020, in the early days of which Armenia has launched missile attacks on Azerbaijani cities of Ganja, Mingachevir, Khizi as well as Absheron district.

Following almost two weeks of intensive military confrontations, Armenia and Azerbaijan, with Russia's mediation, have agreed on a temporary ceasefire for humanitarian purposes, for exchange of prisoners of war as well as bodies of the dead.

Despite the ceasefire, the Armenian Armed Forces launched a missile attack on civilians in the central part of Ganja city on October 17, as a result of which 13 people died, more than 45 people were injured, and a great number of civilian infrastructure facilities and vehicles were heavily damaged.

The Armenian Armed Forces, flagrantly violating norms and principles of international law, the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and Additional Protocols to it, as well as the requirements of the humanitarian ceasefire declared on October 10th, continue to deliberately target the civilian population of Azerbaijan, and intensively bombard densely populated settlements.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, the Armenian Armed Forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

URL: http://www.today.az/news/politics/198813.html

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