Absurd claims in response to the question of Radio Liberty made by the Spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia Ani Badalyan on the establishment of a checkpoint on the Lachin road, the presence of the armed forces of Armenia in the territory of Azerbaijan, and keeping of 8 villages still under occupation have no basis and we strongly reject them.

The legitimate decision and step of Azerbaijan to establish a border checkpoint in its sovereign territory are in line with all the principles and norms of international law. Armenia's interference in this decision of Azerbaijan is unacceptable.

Apparently, Armenia, commenting on the protests on the Lachin road, has forgotten that these protests were directed against the use of the Lachin road for illegal activities and military provocations, and Armenia still does not refrain to misinterpret the provisional decision of the International Court of Justice.

Failure of Armenia to digest the Court's decision rejecting the two main claims of Armenia on the alleged organization of the protests of eco-activists on the Khankandi-Lachin road by the government of Azerbaijan, and on the alleged obstructions of the supply of gas and utilities (electricity, internet etc.) is regretful. 

Unfortunately, Armenia has refused to fulfill its obligations and has avoided the topic of the landmine threats against Azerbaijan continuing over the past 30 years. The Court’s last hearings on the landmine issue once again demonstrated that Armenia's reports to international organizations showing that Armenia allegedly does not produce or plant landmines are based on lies. At the same time, it is completely wrong to present the verdict of the Court on postponing the decision on the merits of the landmine issue to a later date as a rejection of the issue by the Court. It is clear that this interim decision does not exempt Armenia from violations of obligations such as planting landmines and booby traps in the territories of Azerbaijan, the transportation of 2021 production landmines to the territories of Azerbaijan by abusing the Lachin road, and the failure to provide proper landmine maps.

In general, it is absurd that Armenia which conducted military aggression against internationally recognized territories of Azerbaijan, destroyed hundreds of occupied cities and villages, carried out ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis, expelled hundreds of thousands of people from their native lands, and didn’t fulfill UN Security Council’s 4 resolutions, accuses Azerbaijan of aggression, “ethnic cleansing” and occupation of Armenian villages.

Instead of liberating Karki village of Sadarak district of Nakhchivan, as well as Barkhudarli, Baghanis Ayrim, Gizil Hajili, Yukhari Askipara, Ashaghi Askipara, Kheyrimli villages of Gazakh according to Armenia’s commitment taken upon by signing the Trilateral Statement, it questioning Azerbaijan's sovereignty over these villages demonstrates that this country has not yet abandoned its territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

Statement of the Spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia ignoring the statements of the Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan linking defeat in the war with the fifth column in Armenia, confirming that the war was conducted by the armed forces of Armenia, subordination of entire military command to the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, as well as the confessions of Armenia's political and military leadership that the forces have not yet been withdrawn from the territories of Azerbaijan and voicing that Armenia does not have armed forces in Azerbaijan is an indicator that the foreign policy of this country is based upon lies. The criminal cases by the law enforcement agencies of Armenia against those who have long been presented as servicemen of the so-called regime are clear proof of the subordination of these servicemen to Armenia.

Azerbaijan once again calls on Armenia to abandon its territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Ensuring peace and stability in the region depends on Armenia's respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan.