20:37,
YEREVAN, 21 FEBRUARY, ARMENPERESS. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia has issued a statement over initiating criminal prosecution against President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan and two former Presidents of Armenia Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan by Azerbaijani authorities and declaring them internationally wanted, strongly condemning these trumped-up and anti-Armenian persecutions, as well as the abuse of international legal procedures, ARMENPRESS was informed from the MFA Armenia.
"Recently it became known that the Azerbaijani authorities have initiated criminal prosecution, have declared an international search for Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan, former Presidents of Armenia Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan.
"We strongly condemn these criminal prosecutions initiated by Azerbaijan on these trumped-up and anti-Armenian grounds, as well as similar abuses of international legal procedures," the statement said.
According to the Armenian MFA, instead of trying to find the people involved in the extrajudicial killings of Artsakh civilians, the forced disappearances of Armenian prisoners of war, as well as the criminal networks that brought terrorists to the region, Azerbaijan is pursuing its anti-Armenian policy in Nagorno Karabakh with a new impetus, making new attempts to raise tensions on Armenia-Azerbaijan border.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry calls on Azerbaijan to seek solutions in the constructive field, to take steps to protect the rights and well-being of all the peoples of the region, while reaffirming the Republic of Armenia's commitment to making efforts for peaceful coexistence and mutual tolerance in the region”.