BAKU, July 16. /TASS/. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry on Saturday said the statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is not consistent with the Declaration on Alliance between the two countries.
"The Russian Foreign Ministry's statement of June 15, 2023 with comments on the trilateral statement (of November 9/10, 2020) and the peace process (between Azerbaijan and Armenia - TASS) is perplexing and disappointing. This statement is not consistent with the Declaration on Alliance between Azerbaijan and Russia and the statements of Russian President Vladimir Putin, which support the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, including the Karabakh Region," the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Baku criticized as inadmissible "the interpretation by the Russian Foreign Ministry of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan in the context of the fact of recognition of Karabakh as an integral part of Azerbaijan by the Prime Minister of Armenia, which has occupied Azerbaijani territories for about 30 years".
The statement said that Azerbaijan is currently taking practical steps aimed at reaching a peace treaty between Baku and Yerevan and has always demonstrated commitment to the trilateral statements signed between Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia.
"Despite this, since day one after the signing of said trilateral statement, the Armenian side has failed to implement many of its provisions, and the Russian side has not ensured full implementation of the statement within its authority," the Foreign Ministry said in the statement.
It also said that despite Baku's repeated warnings about illegal activities on the Lachin road, smuggling of military cargo and mines from the territory of Armenia to Azerbaijan, rotation of illegal armed formations, unauthorized trips to the region by citizens of third countries, no measures had been taken to stop these actions.
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry also said the attempts to politicize the establishment of the Lachin border crossing point and allegations that the humanitarian situation in the region had become tense are unfounded.
"Azerbaijan is interested in ensuring peace and tranquility in the region and will continue its efforts in this direction," the statement said.
Statement by Russian MFA
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed concern about the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh, saying it is taking a turn for the worse. The ministry said the humanitarian crisis in the region is being exacerbated, the local population is experiencing a severe shortage of food, medicines and basic necessities and has almost no electricity or gas supplies.
The ministry said this could entail the most dramatic consequences for Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh. It called on the Azerbaijani leadership to take urgent measures to immediately unblock the Lachin corridor, to resume unimpeded movement of people, vehicles and cargoes in both directions through the road, as well as the energy supply of the region.
The ministry also said that Russia is ready to arrange a trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in Moscow in the near future to discuss a peace treaty between Baku and Yerevan and agree on a future trilateral summit.