The Azerbaijani government on Friday called the latest accusations by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian «unacceptable» after he claimed that Baku is «preparing the genocide of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh» amid bilateral talks to try to reach a peace agreement.
The Azeri Foreign Ministry has charged Pashinian for «attempting to distort» a speech by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and criticized the Armenian prime minister for trying to «create the impression that Azerbaijan has not fulfilled its obligations, which is unfounded and unacceptable.»
«This stance on the part of the Armenian leadership is another blow to the process of normalization of relations between the two states and for the establishment of peace in the region,» he assessed in a statement published through his website.
In this sense, he described as «the highest level of hypocrisy» that Pashinian has made accusations against Baku «while turning a blind eye to the Armenian aggression during the last 30 years, the serious violation of the fundamental rights of hundreds of thousands of Azeris in the framework of its occupation policy and the numerous crimes against humanity».
The Ministry has stated that Pashinian’s words «seriously cast doubt on Armenia’s sincerity in the peace process» and defended that, during the 2020 fighting, «Azerbaijan liberated internationally recognized territories from occupying forces and restored its territorial integrity using the right of self-defense, in line with the UN Charter.»
«Armenia still refuses to implement the trilateral agreement of November 10, 2020,» he denounced, while stressing that Baku «has given adequate responses» to «several military provocations by the Armenian Armed Forces, which have not yet fully withdrawn from Azeri territories and continue to pose a threat to the region.»
Therefore, he stressed that «it is Armenia that delays the process of opening communications» and assured that Azerbaijan «honestly fulfills its obligation to build the new road in Lachin», before insisting that Pashinjan’s words are «a deliberate escalation of tensions».
The Azeri Foreign Ministry has further accused Armenia of «crimes against humanity» during the «30 years of occupation,» including «unprecedented acts of ethnic cleansing, urbicide and culturicide.» «They cannot be compared to crimes committed by any terrorist organization,» it has added.
«The evidence of the atrocities and destruction committed by Armenia against the population, historical and cultural heritage, cities and villages, infrastructure and natural resources of Azerbaijan has been documented and presented to the community and international courts,» he explained.
In this line, he has pointed to «unprecedented massacres» by the Armenian Army and has indicated that «there is no information to this day about the whereabouts of about 4,000 Azerbaijanis». «Armenia has not taken practical steps to prevent war crimes from being committed or to bring to justice those responsible,» he stressed.
For all these reasons, Baku reiterated that Nagorno-Karabakh «is an integral part of Azerbaijan» and pointed out that Pashinian «has abandoned the promises and commitments he adopted on various international platforms», before rejecting that Azerbaijan is «blocking» the normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey.
«Azerbaijan is committed to achieving peace and stability in the region and will continue to act in this direction, in line with international law,» he has said, before stressing that Yerevan’s «destructive policies» «not only do not benefit the restoration of peace in the region, but primarily harm Armenia.»
PASHINIAN’S STATEMENTS Pashinian said on Thursday that the Azeri authorities have on numerous occasions violated the trilateral agreements – signed with Russia – in November 2020 and October 2022 to set a ceasefire and open the door to peace.
He also accused the neighboring country of «preparing the genocide of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh» and said Baku’s actions pose «a threat to security» in the South Caucasus region. He also criticized the Azeri authorities’ failure to take steps for «visible dialogue» with Yerevan.
Pashinian outlined that Yerevan has submitted a proposal to create a three-kilometer-deep demilitarized zone on both sides of the border set in 1991. «The proposal is standing and yesterday we delivered an updated version to Azerbaijan. I insist that the Azeri Armed Forces must withdraw from all occupied parts on sovereign territory of Armenia, a position we will never change,» he concluded.»
The Armenian Prime Minister’s remarks came days after a meeting of foreign ministers in the United States attended by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at which they agreed to «accelerate negotiations» to try to reach a peace agreement.
Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to a cease-fire on September 15 and in early October agreed to commit to the UN Charter and the 1991 Alma Ata Declaration, through which both countries recognize each other’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Following this, Pashinian stressed before the Parliament that he expects the peace treaty with Azerbaijan to be signed before the end of the year.
The two countries have been involved in several clashes in recent years over the control of Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory with a majority Armenian population that has been the focus of conflict since it decided to secede in 1988 from the Soviet Union-integrated region of Azerbaijan.
