Armenia responds to Aliyev, urges against "provocative rhetoric"

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, December 7, responded to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's remarks, who demanded that Armenia name the dates for the opening of what he called the "Zangezur Corridor", threatening with "problems" otherwise. Yerevan called on Baku to refrain from provocative rhetoric.

The Azerbaijani side has on multiple occasions spoken about a so-called "corridor" through the southern Armenian province of Syunik that would connect Nakhijevan to the rest of Azerbaijan. The Armenian side, however, has repeatedly denied being involved in negotiations for the provision of a corridor to Azerbaijan, stressing that they have only agreed to unblock transport communications in the region.

The Foreign Ministry issued a statement explaining to the Azerbaijani side all the provisions of trilateral statements reached by the leaders and Deputy Prime Ministers of the three countries in the past year. Based on those circumstances, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said":

A) The content of the statements of the President of Azerbaijan opposes the Statements of November 9, January 11 and November 26, contradicts the agreements reached within the Tripartite working group and the Sochi meeting, pursues destructive and provocative objectives, threatens the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia,

B) The Republic of Armenia is committed to all its above-mentioned commitments and is ready for the speedy implementation of the agreements,

C) The list of measures and the timetable for the process of opening and restoring the regional communications - the roads and railways, is being discussed within the framework of the Tripartite working group, the activities of which are being undermined by the provocative rhetoric of Azerbaijan.

"The Republic of Armenia draws the attention of its main partner in the sphere of security - the Russian Federation, the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the UN Security Council, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries and the international community to the fact that official Baku with warmongering statements continues its blatant threats of use of force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity of Armenia, violating fundamental principles of international law, including the UN Charter, as well as endangering regional and global security," the Foreign Ministry said.

"The Republic of Armenia urges the Republic of Azerbaijan to refrain from provocative rhetoric and actions, as well as not to hinder the implementation of the agreements on unblocking all economic and transport communications in the region."