Armenian military aggression against Azerbaijan which killed many Azerbaijani soldiers and civilians. Children wounded by Armenian artillery fire.

Armenia bears responsibility for counter-attacks and retaliatory actions taken by the armed forces of Azerbaijan to ensure full security of civilians living along the line of contact, if the Armenian military continues violating ceasefire,” said Hikmat Hajiyev, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.

“Despite the Azerbaijani armed forces demonstrated goodwill and unilaterally suspended counter-offensive and retaliatory actions, the Armenian armed forces continue to intensively shell the settlements and civilians along the line of contact, in particular in the direction of Terter and Aghdere districts, using heavy artillery,” he added.

“The presence of the Armenian troops in the occupied Azerbaijani territories is the main reason for the escalation of tension and violation of the ceasefire on the line of contact,” said spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry Hikmat Hajiyev as he responded to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement on ceasefire.

He said that it was Azerbaijan that suspended the counter-attacks and announced unilateral retaliatory measures. “Despite the peaceful intention and goodwill of the Azerbaijani side, the Armenian armed forces target civilians and civilian settlements and continue shelling on the positions of the Azerbaijani army along the troops` line of contact.”

The spokesperson expressed Azerbaijan’s readiness for a ceasefire. “However, the Armenian armed forces must withdraw from all the occupied territories of Azerbaijan in compliance with the known resolutions of the UN Security Council, and Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty must be ensured within its internationally recognized borders,” he said.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly brought to the attention of the international community that the illegal presence of Armenian armed forces in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan remains a main cause for the escalation of situation and continues to pose threat to the regional peace and stability. Armenia, by consistent provocations and escalation of the situation, strengthening of its military build-up in the occupied territories, illegally changing the demographic, cultural and physical character of the seized lands, engaging in unlawful economic and other activities, including transfer of Armenian population into these territories pursues an apparent goal of annexation of Azerbaijan’s territories and consolidating the status-quo, which is unacceptable and unsustainable as it was also stated by the Heads of States of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. It is Armenia that also blocks all initiatives of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, including the recent proposals of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to derail the negotiation process. It once again proves that the official Yerevan is not genuinely interested in seeking a political settlement of the armed conflict.

AzerTAc

The fundamental basis for the settlement of the conflict is laid down in the United Nations Security Council resolutions 822(1993), 853(1993), 874(1993) and 884(1993) and the U.N. General Assembly resolution 62/243 (2008), which condemn the use of force against Azerbaijan and occupation of its territories and reaffirm the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the inviolability of its internationally recognized borders. In those resolutions, the United Nations reaffirmed that the Nagorno-Karabakh region is an inalienable part of Azerbaijan and demanded immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of the occupying forces from all occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

The military occupation of the territory of Azerbaijan does not represent a solution and will never produce a political outcome desired by Armenia. The sooner Armenia reconciles with this reality, the earlier the conflict will be resolved and the countries and peoples in the region will benefit from the prospects of cooperation and economic development.

Azerbaijan calls the international community to demand from Armenia to cease the illegal occupation of Azerbaijan’s territories, to withdraw its troops from all seized lands and to engage constructively in the conflict settlement process in accordance with the requirements of relevant resolutions of the UNSC and the norms and principles of international law.