BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 15

By Elchin Mehdiyev – Trend:

The beginning of a new phase is observed in the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Trend reports referring to the publication titled "Armenian provocations and the silence of the OSCE Minsk Group" made by Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister, Deputy Chairman and Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, Ali Ahmadov, posted on his official Facebook page.

“The steady expansion of the Armenian provocations gradually began to replace the relative stability that was preserved in the past,” Ahmadov added.

“The clashes in the direction of Azerbaijan’s Tovuz district on the state border between Azerbaijan and Armenia two months ago as a result of Armenia’s military provocations, the subsequent exposure in connection with the supply of weapons to this country, the arrest of the Armenian saboteur in the direction of Azerbaijan’s Goranboy district are just a shortlist of Armenian provocations in the conflict zone and connect with the conflict,” deputy prime minister said.

“The Armenian prime minister’s frequent visits to the occupied territories and statements that fundamentally contradict the spirit of the settlement process have become an integral part of other Armenian provocations,” Ahmadov said.

“The fact that the "appeals for peace" made by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's wife in the first months of the Armenian prime minister's rule recently replaced the photographs with the Kalashnikov assault rifle, testifies to the vile nature of the Armenian provocation,” deputy prime minister said.

Ahmadov stressed that the Armenian provocations are observed not only in the country’s aggravation of the militaristic rhetoric and behavior.

"The recent resettlement of the Armenians of Lebanese origin to the occupied Azerbaijani territories is nothing more than an unprecedented provocation, striking a crushing blow on the conflict settlement process,” deputy prime minister added.

“The whole world witnesses a process of gross violation of international law – the settlement of the occupied territories,” Ahmadov said. “The Armenian adventurism will lead to dangerous prospects, for example, to repeat in the 21st century the policy of resettlement, which once changed the demographic situation in the South Caucasus.”

“The history of the last 50-60 years of the Middle East is an instructive example of bitter consequences of such games,” deputy prime minister said. “The attempts of the Armenian politicians to turn the South Caucasus into a hotbed of constant conflicts and wars cannot be ignored. They must be condemned by international organizations and the world community as a whole.”

“Amid Armenia’s growing provocations, the silence of the OSCE Minsk Group, which took upon itself the mission of settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, its transformation into an impartial observer, to put it mildly, cannot but cause surprise,” Ahmadov added.

“In any case, the OSCE Minsk Group cannot evade responsibility because the conflict has dragged on and it has failed to find the correct formula for the settlement,” deputy prime minister said. “Presently, the OSCE Minsk Group witnesses that the Armenian side continues to commit another crime, which can lead to new, even regretful consequences.”

“Azerbaijan stands for peaceful but just settlement of the conflict with the condition of withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces from all occupied territories,” Ahmadov said. “With a few exceptions, the ceasefire which has been valid since 1994 testifies to this.”

“However, the fact that the conflict has not been resolved up till now, the growing Armenian provocations and the silence of the mediators limit the choice of Azerbaijan in ensuring its territorial integrity,” deputy prime minister said. “Azerbaijan must and will return its occupied lands.”

“If mediators and diplomats do not cope with their work, the heroic Azerbaijani army will fulfill its noble mission,” Ahmadov said. “The battles in April 2016 and July 2020 showed what our army is capable of. There is no doubt that our servicemen will lead to the triumph of justice.”