“The statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia on January 3, 2023 regarding the protests on the Lachin road is completely groundless and aims to sow confusion among international partners and artificially escalate the situation,” Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
“It is not surprising that the Armenian Foreign Ministry issued a distorted statement regarding the protests of Azerbaijani eco-activists against the looting of Azerbaijan’s natural resources during the 30-year occupation of its territories by Armenia. It seems that the Armenian side is still interested in the continuation of illegal economic and other activities on the territory of Azerbaijan.
It is well known that throughout more than a year, that is, since November 2021, the government of Azerbaijan has addressed appeals in order to prevent illegal economic activity in the territories of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily deployed. And the last time on December 3-10, the Azerbaijani government tried to resolve the issue through negotiations. Despite all these efforts, the Armenian side ignored the appeals, blocked the access of relevant institutions to the territory and tried to continue illegal activities. All these actions have caused the rightful protest of the Azerbaijani public, and a peaceful demonstration is being held with the demand to prevent abuse of the Lachin road, which is intended only for humanitarian purposes.
The claims that the protests have resulted in the road’s closure are equally groundless and it is undeniable fact that vehicles belonging to the Red Cross and the Russian peacekeeping contingent stationed in the region have used the Lachin road without hindrance.
“Despite the appeals of the Azerbaijani side to the Armenian residents that the road is open and can be used according to the purpose of the trilateral statement, the fact that the provocateurs, who present themselves as representatives of the Armenian residents living in Karabakh, prevent the population from using the road proves once again that it is precisely such people, who created a false impression of the protests in order to continue their illegal and dirty deeds.
The accusations by Armenia that Azerbaijan is conducting deportations and ethnic cleansing in the region absurd, and such accusations are intended to cover up the systematic and consistent policy of ethnic cleansing committed by Armenians against Azerbaijanis in the 20th century.
Azerbaijan once again calls on Armenia to comply with its obligations arising from international law and the trilateral statement, refrain from activities directed against Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and stop aggressive political and military provocations,” the ministry added.