Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia on disinformation spread by Azerbaijan

14 August, 2023

In recent days, Azerbaijan has significantly increased the dissemination of false information concerning the Republic of Armenia which does not correspond to reality.

The most recent example is the disinformation regarding the accumulation of troops and ammunition along the Armenia-Azerbaijan state border by the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia. The spreading of this false information indicates Azerbaijan's intention to aggravate the situation in the region.

Despite several refuting statements by the Republic of Armenia, Azerbaijan continues to spread false claims about the presence of the army of the Republic of Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh, which absolutely do not correspond to reality.

We draw the attention of the international community to the fact that the proposal of the Republic of Armenia to send an international fact-finding mission to Nagorno-Karabakh to clarify this issue has been repeatedly rejected by Azerbaijan. In the context of Azerbaijan's ongoing assertions, such a mission is clearly becoming more urgent.

It is also evident that one of the objectives of Azerbaijan's disinformation campaign is to divert the international community's attention from the escalating humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, which is intensifying day by day, and from its steps to implement ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh through provoking a humanitarian catastrophe.

The humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh resulting from the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor is clear proof of Azerbaijan's violation of the Trilateral statement of November 9, 2020. In past years, Azerbaijan has violated almost all the provisions of the Trilateral statement, in particular, its 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 8th and 9th points.

As it has already been recorded by international partners, by illegally blocking the Lachin corridor, Azerbaijan also violates the legally binding Orders of the International Court of Justice of February 22 and July 6, 2023 on ensuring the unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo in both directions through the Lachin corridor.

Azerbaijan also continues to violate numerous agreements reached during the negotiations. In particular, contrary to the Brussels agreement of May 14, 2023, until now, Azerbaijan has not made a clear statement on the recognition of the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia in 29,800 square kilometers, refuses to implement the agreements reached on the resumption of the Yeraskh-Ordubad-Meghri-Horadiz railway.

By all possible means official Baku also hinders the dialogue with Stepanakert within the framework of the international mechanism.

In the conditions of the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor already lasting 8 months, it has been 3 weeks since Azerbaijan blocked the entry to Nagorno-Karabakh for about 400 tons of humanitarian cargo which is stranded at the entrance to the Lachin corridor.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia emphasizes that the peace agenda has no alternative in our region. We reiterate that, despite all the difficulties, there is a possibility of achieving a long-term, stable and lasting peace, and we call on Azerbaijan to refrain from all steps aimed at reducing this possibility. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia reaffirms the commitment of the Armenian Government to the peace agenda and the agreements reached during the negotiations and calls on all actors of the international community interested in establishing peace and stability in the region to use all the instruments at their disposal in order to bring the Azerbaijani side to a constructive track.

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