Armenia: We reject Baku’s charges; We adhere to the peace program
reports Mehr News Agency A spokesman for the Armenian Foreign Ministry, in response to a statement by Ikhan Hajizadeh, a spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, who accused Yerevan of violating the ceasefire and failing to fulfill its obligations, described the state’s position.
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Ms. Azerbaijan again accused Armenia of violating the ceasefire in response to a March 5 statement. The Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan also raised such an accusation today. What is the basis of these charges?
Badalian : The Government of the Republic of Armenia has stated at the highest level that it has no purpose or need to exacerbate tensions and continues to act on the principles of the peace program. The Armenian armed forces are also subject to the government and act on the same logic. The Armenian Ministry of Defense has also stated that if the documentary evidence from the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense is ready to investigate the fires. I have to emphasize that so far the Republic of Azerbaijan has not provided us with any documentary information on the violation of the ceasefire by Armenia. Also, the Republic of Azerbaijan has not responded to June 6, Armenia to create a joint mechanism to investigate the cases of fire violations or related reports.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman of the Republic of Azerbaijan in response to a statement by the Armenian Prime Minister’s Office has accused the country of providing difficult and irrelevant projects.
Badalian : Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan have formally stated that the draft of the Peace and Relations Agreement has been finalized and the negotiations have been completed. According to the agreement, the signing of this document is rational, and the Republic of Armenia has proposed to begin negotiations to determine the timing and location of its signature. It is clear that this process is neither difficult nor impossible.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman made statements about the need to dissolve the Minsk Group of the European Security and Cooperation Organization (OSCE Minsk Group) and constitutional reforms in Armenia. What is Armenia’s position on this?
Badalian : The Republic of Armenia has announced at the highest level that it is ready to investigate the dissolution of the Minsk Group. Armenia merely wants to ensure that this means the real and legal end of the conflict, not its transfer to the territory of the Republic of Armenia under the heading of “West Azerbaijan”.
In the Armenian Constitution, the September 9th decree of the Armenian Constitution has clearly shown that the Armenian Constitution has no territorial claim against any country. On the contrary, the Republic of Armenia believes that the constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan contains territorial claims against Armenia. But we also believe that the final text of the Peace Agreement will solve this issue. Why? Because the final text emphasizes that Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan recognize each other within the framework of the borders of the former Soviet republics, have no territorial claims against each other and pledge not to make such claims in the future. In addition, the text of the agreement emphasizes that the parties cannot cite their internal laws for non -enforcement of the terms of the agreement. As a reminder, Article 5 of the Armenian Constitution states that “in the event of a conflict between the norms of international treaties approved by the Republic of Armenia and the laws, the norms of international treaties will be applied”, that is, the Armenian Constitution cannot be an obstacle to signing a peace agreement. On the contrary, signing the Peace Agreement is even the most effective way to address the constitutional concerns.
Azerbaijan Republic of Armenia fails to fulfill its obligations to reopen regional communications and provide complex and long routes to connect transportation between the western regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Nakhvan.
Badalian : Armenia has no unilateral obligations to reopen economic and regional transportation. The separate agenda of transportation between the western regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan is part of a larger agenda for the reopening of regional transport and economic communications, including the reopening of the Armenian Republic. Secondly, Armenia has first suggested that the rail transportation of the goods be launched between Zanglan, Maghari, Ordobad and Yarash. This is the shortest rail route between Zanglan and Ordobad. In the case of roads, we have our own roads and location, and accusing us of being a mountainous country is at least baseless.
The Republic of Azerbaijan continues to accuse Armenia of militarizing and establishing aggressive weapons in the border areas and preparing for the scenario use.
Badalian: Scenario use force? What about solving? Which issue on the agenda of the Republic of Armenia can mean using force? The only issue of more than 2 square kilometers of the occupied territory of the Armenian Republic of Armenia could have created such an interpretation, but the Armenian Republic has clearly stated that it does not solve this issue through force, because the process of restricting the limits and now the final text of the peace agreement has provided all possibilities to solve it peacefully. Armenia can only be prepared for a power scenario, namely resistance to a possible aggression, which is the legal right of any country, and every Armenia step in the border areas is only within the framework of defense logic.
I remember that Armenia offered a proposal to reciprocate troops from the border areas in the year 6 that the Republic of Azerbaijan rejected. In this regard, the militarization of the region can be worrying, and Armenia has suggested to the Republic of Azerbaijan to create a bilateral mechanism for controlling weapons, but so far the Republic of Azerbaijan has not responded positively. The Republic of Armenia does not pursue militarization, but follows a strategy of military transformation, which is a public document. I once again repeat the commitment of the Republic of Armenia to the peace program and urge the Republic of Azerbaijan to begin consultations on the history and location of the final text of the peace agreement and relations between governments.
