BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 23

Trend:

The Zionist Federation of Bulgaria has issued a statement about the military provocation committed by the Armenian army on the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border in the direction of Azerbaijan’s Tovuz district, Trend reports.

“The position of the Zionist Federation of Bulgaria reflects the position of Jews and representatives of other nationalities who oppose aggression and oppression, who stand up for democracy, human rights, who support the sovereignty and dignity of all peoples,” the statement said.

Concern about the latest act of violence against the sovereign territories of Azerbaijan, the attack of the Armenian army on Azerbaijan in the Tovuz direction, as a result of which 12 Azerbaijani servicemen and one civilian resident of Azerbaijan were killed, was expressed in the document.

“Profoundly concerned about the latest provocations of Armenia on the border with Azerbaijan, we, the Zionist Federation of Bulgaria and supporters of the Israeli state, demand an immediate cessation of all military operations and the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. The aggravation of the struggle in the region in recent days is the result of the fact that the international community cannot influence the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Armenia has violated international humanitarian law by showing disrespect for peace and stability in the region,” noted the statement.

“We look forward to the end of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the restoration of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within the internationally recognized borders,” the statement said.

Following continuous ceasefire violations of Armenia's armed forces, the country launched another military provocation against Azerbaijan on July 12. Grossly violating the ceasefire regime, Armenian armed forces opened fire in the direction of Azerbaijan's Tovuz district.

As a result of the appropriate measures, the Armenian armed forces were silenced. The tensions continued on the border, July 12 night. During the night battles, by using artillery, mortars and tanks, the Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed a stronghold, army vehicles.

The fighting continued in the following several days as well. Azerbaijan lost several military personnel members, who died fighting off the attacks of the Armenian armed forces. As a result of the shelling, many houses in the Tovuz district's border villages were damaged.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.