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 Saturday 1:29 PM MSK


CSTO secretary general's remarks on Karabakh situation exceed
organization's mandate - Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry

BAKU. Sept 22

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has described the remarks by
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Secretary General Yury
Khachaturov regarding Azerbaijan as baseless and inappropriate, the
ministry press service said in a statement after Khachaturov urged
Baku to stop attacks on Armenian populated localities.

"While speaking on the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border,
the CSTO secretary general abused of his office and exceeded the
organization's mandate. The statement made by the secretary general,
who has the Armenian origin, is subjective and biased, it contravenes
the stance of all members of the organization but Armenia on this
conflict," the ministry said.

The CSTO secretary general did not mention regular attacks of the
Armenian army on the Azerbaijani territory along the entire
Armenian-Azerbaijani borderline, it said.

"We suggest that [...] the secretary general study the senseless and
contradictory remarks by the Armenian prime minister that escalate
tensions and disrupt the negotiating process," the ministry said.

"The aggressive policy of occupation conducted by Armenia, an CSTO
member country, towards Azerbaijan disagrees with the fundamental
documents of the Collective Security Treaty Organization," it said.

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