Baku, September 28, AZERTAC

“We strongly condemn the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia on September 27, 2023, that openly distorts and misguides the international community about the 44-day war and measures undertaken following the war,” said Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs as it responded to the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia disseminates fake narratives in this statement while bluntly denying its responsibility for more than 30 years of military aggression and occupation of Azerbaijan’s territories, massacres, and crimes against humanity committed against Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan’s war against Armenia’s occupation and aggression has always been a just war, and the anti-terrorism measures of Azerbaijan of this September legitimately nullified a threat coming from the illegal Armenian armed forces that are stationed in Azerbaijan in clear violation of all the norms and principles of international law,” the ministry said.

“Moreover, contrary to the lies of the MFA Armenia and unlike Armenia itself, Azerbaijan never targeted civilian Armenians.

With regard to baseless claims about unwillingness to resolve the situation through political and diplomatic means, we would like to remind the Armenian side how this country has torpedoed all the peace efforts not only during the 30 years of occupation but also during the post-conflict period.

While on September 21 Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that there is no direct threat to the civilian population, dissemination by the MFA Armenia by all means that there is an “ethnic cleansing” of local Armenians clearly demonstrates how inconsistent and false the policy and narrative of Armenia is.

We reiterate that Azerbaijan has nothing to do with the decision by local Armenians of the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan to move to Armenia or any other country. We are willing to create for them conditions for better livelihood than they were under the hostage of the military junta created by Armenia. Azerbaijan is determined to reintegrate Armenian residents as equal citizens and the Constitution, the national legislation of Azerbaijan, and international commitments we have undertaken provide the solid ground to this end.

We do understand how it hurts Armenia to see a separatist regime established in the territories of Azerbaijan has been collapsing and disappearing before its eyes, but now it would be better for them to focus on building peace and trust with Azerbaijan, based on respect to territorial integrity and sovereignty both in words and deeds,” the ministry added.