By Azernews
By Vafa Ismayilova
Azerbaijan has urged Armenia to strictly adhere to the trilateral peace statement signed by the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders on November 10, 2020 to stop the Nagorno-Karabakh war.
"We would like to remind that the Statement adopted as a result of great efforts envisages a complete ceasefire and the cessation of all military operations. We call on Armenia to strictly adhere to the requirements of the trilateral statement and to refrain from destructive activities that could impede its implementation. Azerbaijan, acting within the framework of joint cooperation with Russian peacekeepers, will take appropriate measures to ensure peace and security in the region," the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its official website on December 13.
The statement was issued after an anti-terrorist operation was carried out by the Azerbaijani State Security Service to render harmless a group of Armenians in Hadrut settlement of Khojavend region.
"In recent days, the State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan has been conducting an anti-terrorist operation against the terrorist and sabotage actions of the Armenian armed forces remaining in the forest area around Hadrut settlement of Khojavend region of Azerbaijan. These territories were recently liberated from long-term Armenian occupation by the Armed Forces of the Republic of Azerbaijan. A joint statement issued by the State Security Service and the Defence Ministry of Azerbaijan on December 13, 2020 provided detailed information on the issue," the Foreign Ministry added.
The ministry noted that "official Yerevan's claims against Azerbaijan are baseless and unacceptable. Thus, the provocative activity was committed by the remnants of the Armenian armed forces. In their turn, the Government of Azerbaijan and the peacekeeping mission of the Russian Federation are taking all necessary measures to maintain peace in accordance with the provisions of the trilateral statement of November 10".
In their joint statement on December 13, the Azerbaijani State Security Service and the Defence Ministry said that the security agency was forced to conduct the anti-terrorist operation in Hadrut as the Armenian armed groups had not left the territory, had created combat positions and had committed acts of terror and sabotage against Azerbaijani civilians and servicemen in the area. Three Azerbaijani servicemen were killed and two were wounded in the Armenians' sudden attack on November 26, 2020 in Sur village of Azerbaijan’s Khojavend region, which was liberated from the Armenian occupation. On December 8, one Azerbaijani serviceman was killed and an employee of Azerbaijan’s Azercell company was severely injured during the installation of communication lines and transmission equipment near Hadrut settlement in the same district.
"In general, the peacekeeping forces of the Russian Federation performed their duties responsibly and professionally to maintain the ceasefire regime and to evacuate the so-called "missing" Armenian servicemen... It is unacceptable for some Armenian officials and the Armenian media to make baseless allegations against the Russian peacekeeping forces and the Azerbaijani side in such case," the State Security Service and the Defence Ministry said in their joint statement.
The Azerbaijani security and defence agencies urged Armenia to ensure the implementation of the provisions of the tripartite declaration on complete ceasefire and cessation of all hostilities, support the maintenance of the ceasefire regime and peace, refrain from provocations through the remaining Armenian armed groups or the armed forces, deliberately aggravating the situation and using such cases for domestic political purposes.
They noted that Azerbaijan "continues to make efforts to ensure peace in the region in close coordination and cooperation with the peacekeeping forces of the Russian Federation".
