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Border tensions with Armenia must be negotiated — Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry

The situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border to remain strained since May 12

BAKU, May 31. /TASS/. Azerbaijan is for eliminating border tensions with Armenia through talks, and it supports the world public's calls for the delimitation and demarcation of the border between the two countries, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Leila Abdullayeva told the media on Monday.

"We are proponents of resolving the issue of border tensions through talks. Also, we welcome the world public's calls for the delimitation of the border between the two countries," Abdullayeva said following a statement by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group of May 28, which stressed the impermissibility of handling border disputes from the position of strength.

Abdullayeva recalled that Baku had supported the idea of creating a trilateral Azerbaijani-Armenian-Russian commission for the delimitation and demarcation of the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

"Only on the condition of strict observance of such principles of international law as sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of borders will it be possible to normalize inter-state relations, begin the demarcation and delimitation of the border and, lastly, create the basis for peaceful co-existence. For their part, the co-chairs will be able to contribute to ensuring and developing peace in the region by supporting the implementation of the trilateral statements (of November 9, 2020, and January 11, 2021)," Abdullayeva said.

The situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border has remained strained since May 12. The Armenian Defense Ministry then said that early in the morning, Azerbaijani forces with the aim of "correcting the border" tried to carry out "certain works" in a border district of the Syunik Region. The Armenian Defense Ministry said that after measures taken by Armenian forces the Azerbaijani military servicemen stopped these works. Negotiations have been underway on settling the dispute. Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a meeting of the country's Security Council there had been an encroachment on Armenia's territorial integrity. Yerevan later said it had taken the issue of escalating border tensions to the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

Both countries have been reporting incidents. Last Friday, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said there was a bombardment of positions in Nakhichevan from the territory of Armenia. An Azerbaijani soldier was wounded as a result.