By Rashid Shirinov

Deployment of the internal troops of Armenia in the occupied Azerbaijani territories is a military adventure and serves to aggravate the situation, Hikmat Hajiyev, Spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, said on July 4.

“In violation of international law, most of the personnel and equipment of the Armenian Armed Forces are concentrated in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Deployment of internal troops in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan is a clear indicator of the deplorable situation of the Armenian army and serious problems in its personnel,” Hajiyev said.

He added that at the same time, the populist leadership of Armenia, which has faced with serious difficulties in solving the country’s social and economic problems, is trying to manipulate public opinion and maintain its rating by escalating such tensions and military rhetoric.

“Instead of withdrawing its troops from the occupied Azerbaijani territories, Armenia is deploying internal troops in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, which once again openly demonstrates that Armenia is an aggressor country and Yerevan is not interested in the settlement of the conflict through negotiations,” the spokesman stressed.

He added that the responsibility for the situation lies entirely with Armenia.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with signing of a fragile ceasefire in 1994. Since the war, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

While the OSCE Minsk Group acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, the occupation of the territory of the sovereign state with its internationally recognized boundaries has been left out of due attention of the international community for years.

Until now, Armenia ignores four UN Security Council resolutions on immediate withdrawal from the occupied territory of Azerbaijan, thus keeping tension high in the region.