YEREVAN, June 20. /TASS/. The situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in Nagorno-Karabakh were the focus of Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan’s meeting with his counterparts from the member countries of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Armenian foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
"Minister Mirzoyan once again drew attention to the ongoing Azerbaijani occupation of the sovereign territory of Armenia, a CSTO member state, and Azerbaijan’s aggressive actions against Armenia’s sovereign territory and internationally recognized borders, shelling attacks on the Armenian positions and civilian facilities on the border with Armenia in recent days. In this context, Minister Mirzoyan stressed the need for the CSTO’s reaction," it said.
The top Armenian diplomat also touched upon the tense situation in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, including Azerbaijan’s provocations in the zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent and the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor, which has been continuing for more than six months, the ministry said, adding that the minister stressed that this situation has triggered humanitarian problems and the risk of ethnic purges by the Azerbaijani side in Nagorno-Karabakh.
"Minister Mirzoyan stressed that such actions by Azerbaijan are meant to hamper the efforts toward stability in the South Caucasus made by not only Armenia but also by all who are interested in stability in the region. Presenting Armenia’s vision of a lasting peace, Mirzoyan emphasized the importance of refusing from the policy of force or a threat of force and resolving all the existing problems through a constructive dialogue," it said.
The Armenian minister stressed that amid the escalation of conflicts and instability in the region, the necessity of implementing treaty commitments is becoming more and more evident.