Azerbaijan criticizes U.S, on statements over Armenian saboteur’s death
By Sara Rajabova
Baku criticized Washington and Paris over their stance regarding the death of the Armenian saboteur, who was a member of a reconnaissance and sabotage group of Armenian armed forces.
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, in a statement made on August 22, urged the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs - the U.S. and France to a principle stand in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict's settlement, and to be unbiased in expressing condolences and concerns.
The statement followed the comments of the U.S. Department of State and French Foreign Ministry on Karen Petrosyan, who died of heart failure.
Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry earlier said that Petrosyan entered the territory of Azerbaijan to carry out a provocation.
"Armenia's provocative actions were prevented by Azerbaijani armed forces, and Karen Petrosyan was captured. Petrosyan died suddenly for unknown reasons, the cause of death was objectively investigated by medical experts, and the International Committee of the Red Cross was immediately informed of Petrosyan's death," the ministry said.
The ministry also stressed that unlike Azerbaijan, in Armenia, which occupied Azerbaijan's territories, is grossly violated the international conventions on prisoners and hostages.
"Armenia committed such acts against captive and hostage Azerbaijanis as mass murders, physical and mental torture, and acts degrading dignity," the ministry said.
The fate of the four thousand Azerbaijanis taken prisoner and hostages as a result of the Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan is still unknown.
"Taking of hostages Azerbaijanis- Dilgam Asgarov, Shahbaz Guliyev by the Armenians in Azerbaijan's occupied Kalbajar region and murder of Hasan Hasanov, mistreatment against hostages, targeting civilians, as well as children on the frontline and on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border, subversive and terrorist actions of Armenian armed forces since July 31 and its attempts to continue these actions till August 7 demonstrates Armenian policy that are inconsistent with international law, humanity and morality," the ministry said.
Armenia's attempts to inflate and politicize the case of Petrosyan are intended to hide the barbarism of this country, according to the ministry.
"Indifference and the biased actions of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group on such sensitive issues are ambiguously perceived by the Azerbaijani public," the ministry said.
Three Azerbaijani civilians (Russian citizen Dilgam Asgarov, Azerbaijani citizens Shahbaz Guliyev and Hasan Hasanov) were detained by Armenian forces in early July while they were visiting the graves of their late relatives. ICRC Baku office earlier reported that Hasan Hasanov was buried in Nagorno-Karabakh after being killed by Armenian forces.
Previously, Armenian media reported that a criminal case was filed against the Azerbaijani hostages.
Armenia violated the international legal norms by taking hostage the Azerbaijani civilians as they didn't violate any border law between Armenia and Azerbaijan. They were on their own native Kalbajar region.
Azerbaijani State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing People said releasing the Azerbaijani citizens is on the top of the list of its priorities.