Azerbaijani MFA blows Armenian PM’s distorting facts at “Crossroads of Peace” forum

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has strongly criticized the recent remarks made by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the “Crossroads of Peace: Combining Security and Democracy” forum on October 12, Azernews reports.

In a statement, Spokesperson Aykhan Hajizada accused the Armenian leader of distorting facts related to the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020.

"The Armenian Prime Minister’s statement regarding the opening of communications with reference to the trilateral statement once again demonstrates the negligence of the Armenian leadership for the obligations it has undertaken," Hajizada said.

He stressed that "Paragraph 9 of the trilateral statement clearly states the obligations of Armenia with regard to the opening of communications, and how to organize control over transport links."

Hajizada also pointed to Armenia’s violations of the agreement:
"In general, if we look at the activities of Armenia that violated other obligations arising from the trilateral statement of 10 November, including Armenia’s failure to withdraw its illegal armed units from the Garabagh region of Azerbaijan until September 2023, transfer of additional weapons and ammunition, military equipment, landmines to Azerbaijani territories through the Lachin (formerly 'corridor') Border Checkpoint that was established for humanitarian purposes only, continuation of landmine terror against Azerbaijan should be recalled first and foremost."

He further criticized Armenia’s actions that contradict its claimed recognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity:
"No one has forgotten that the Armenian side, which had ostensibly declared that it recognized the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, was propagating the puppet regime it kept in Azerbaijani territories and that the Prime Minister of Armenia congratulated the separatist junta regime on the so-called ‘independence’ on 2 September 2023."

Regarding Armenia's claims about the Lachin corridor and prisoner exchanges, Hajizada remarked:
"In this regard, the Armenian Prime Minister’s rhetorical questions about the activity of the Lachin corridor and the return of refugees and internally displaced people are only surprising and mocking."

He added, "It is also ludicrous that the Armenian side claims that the prisoners of war have not been returned. Adhering to the principle of humanism, Azerbaijan has so far handed over all prisoners of war to the Armenian side. Azerbaijan does not have any obligation to release war criminals and representatives of the separatist junta regime of Armenian origin."

The statement concluded with a strong message to Armenia:

"We urge the leadership of Armenia, which once again did not give up its baseless claims against the territories of Azerbaijan laid within the historical and international legal framework, and the falsification of history grossly violated the principles of international law, and did not draw conclusions from the miserable situation it had fallen in due to its policy of aggression to refrain from statements exceeding any boundaries, distorting the realities and, as a result misleading the international community."