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Rena Murshud

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On January 3, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry once again denied the false statement of the Armenian Foreign Ministry regarding the situation on the Lachin road, Azernews reports per the ministry.

"The next statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Armenia dated January 3, 2023, regarding the protest on the Lachin road is completely unfounded and is aimed at causing bewilderment of international partners on this issue and artificially exacerbating the situation", Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said.

The ministry notes in its statement that no reciprocal actions were obtained from Armenia despite Azerbaijan's repeated requests for an end to the exploitation of Karabakh's ecological resources, which caused a peaceful protest of Azerbaijanis on the Lachin road.

"It is not surprising that the Armenian Foreign Ministry gives distorted statements in connection with the peaceful protests of Azerbaijani civil society representatives against the fact that Armenia plundered our natural resources during the 30-year occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan. It seems that the Armenian side is still interested in continuing illegal economic and other activities on the territory of our country.

"It is well known that for more than a year, that is, since November 2021, the government of Azerbaijan has repeatedly sent appeals demanding the suppression of illegal economic activities in the territory of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily deployed, and for the last time tried to resolve the issue through negotiations 3- December 10th. Despite all these efforts, the Armenian side, ignoring the appeals, blocked access to the territory of the relevant structures and tried to continue illegal activities. It was all these actions that caused a just protest of the Azerbaijani public, which is why a peaceful action is being held demanding that the Lachin road, which is intended exclusively for humanitarian purposes, be prevented from being abused," says the statement.

The statement says that the information spread in the Armenian media regarding the blocking of the Lachin road by the Azerbaijanis is false. It is also emphasized that the Armenian provocateurs do not allow the Armenian population of Karabakh to pass along this road in order to present themselves as victims.

"Each statement against these protests is regarded as unacceptable and is a direct violation of the norms and principles of international law, such as the sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, as well as disrespect for the Constitution of the country and the rights of the protesters, which reflects the provision that Azerbaijan owns all natural resources located on its territory.

However, allegations that the protests allegedly led to the closure of the Lachin road and caused a humanitarian crisis are unfounded. The fact of daily unhindered passage of vehicles, medical vehicles belonging to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the peacekeeping contingent (PMC) is indisputable. Also, the government of Azerbaijan and representatives of civil society declared their readiness to promptly resolve all humanitarian needs that Armenian residents may face.

Despite the calls of the Azerbaijani side to the Armenian residents that the road is open and can be used for its intended purpose according to the tripartite statement, provocateurs posing as representatives of the Armenians living in Karabakh dissuade the population from using the road, and this once again proves that it is precisely such people, by creating a false impression of a peaceful protest, are pursuing the goal of continuing their illegal and heinous activities," the ministry wrote.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry also recalled a series of violations of the tripartite statement by Armenia.

"Regarding the accusations of violating the tripartite statement, we would like to remind the Armenian side that, illegal extraction and transportation of natural resources from the territory of Azerbaijan, continued military supply to the Armenian armed forces, which have not yet fully withdrawn from Azerbaijan, increased mine threat by transporting mines through the Lachin road and their installation on the territory of Azerbaijan, the illegal transfer of citizens of third countries according to this document, also signed by the leader of Armenia, are unacceptable and are a gross violation of the terms of the tripartite statement," they noted.

The statement also recalls that despite the manipulations of Armenia, almost all UN Security Council member states called for the fulfillment of obligations under the tripartite statement and not to violate the sovereignty and borders of Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry also denied Armenia's statements regarding ethnic cleansing.

"Despite the manipulative campaign of the Armenian Foreign Ministry in connection with the meeting of the UN Security Council (SC) on December 20, 2022, it can be said that almost all UNSC member states called for the fulfillment of obligations under the tripartite statement, as well as mutual recognition and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, thereby strengthening the position of Azerbaijan and not supporting provocations from Armenia. Armenia's calls to send any mission to the territory of Azerbaijan are regarded as another provocation against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country, and this must end.

The accusation of Azerbaijan by the Armenian Foreign Ministry of deportation and ethnic cleansing, in addition to being absurd, is also a futile attempt to hide the systematic and consistent policy of ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis in the territory of Armenia and Azerbaijan, carried out by Armenians throughout the 20th century. Historical facts are both the territorial claims that flared up again in 1987, the deportation and ethnic cleansing of about a million Azerbaijanis, and the numerous cases of massacres of Azerbaijanis that took place.

At the same time, it is worth recalling that even in the 44-day Patriotic War, the number of Azerbaijani civilians who died in territories far removed from the combat zone was many times greater than the declared number of deaths of the Armenian civilian population. All this is irrefutable evidence of which side is attacking the civilian population," says the statement.

Azerbaijan again called on the Armenian authorities to comply with the terms of the tripartite agreement and stop military provocations.

"Azerbaijan once again calls on Armenia to comply with the obligations arising from international law and the tripartite statement - to refrain from actions directed against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our country, and to stop aggressive political and military provocations. Azerbaijan's position on peace, stability and development of the region is principled and consistent, on our part, measures based on international law and established international experience will be continued," the press service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry concluded.

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