We Condemn Azerbaijan's Deliberate Actions: Statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia has issued a statement.

Armenia unequivocally condemns the deliberate actions taken by Azerbaijan over the past three days that have exacerbated the situation. This has manifested itself in the dissemination of false information regarding Azerbaijan's own losses, public calls for physical violence against Armenian leaders made by representatives of the ruling party in Azerbaijan's parliament, and a significant increase in ceasefire violations, which today resulted in the death of Artsakh Defense Army serviceman Sipan Melkonyan.

These actions by Azerbaijan have occurred following a call made by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group on May 30 for maximum restraint and for both parties to avoid escalating tensions.

These latest developments challenge the constructive efforts being made by Armenia and Artsakh under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group towards the peaceful resolution of the conflict and the creation of a conducive environment for this resolution. They also represent a serious setback from all the efforts made in recent months. Azerbaijan is violating its own commitments undertaken in the joint statements made in Milan in 2018, Vienna in 2019, and Moscow in 2019.

If Azerbaijan's reprehensible actions do not cease promptly, they may become a serious obstacle to further steps in the resolution process. They also question Azerbaijan's reliability and its ability to remain committed to upholding and strengthening the ceasefire agreements made in Dushanbe in September 2018 and reaffirmed in Vienna in March 2019. Armenia decisively calls on Azerbaijan to demonstrate real political will through specific and effective actions aimed at maintaining the ceasefire. Azerbaijan will bear full responsibility for further escalation of the situation.

Azerbaijan's recent dangerous and confrontational actions are reminiscent of its past violence, brutality, and aggression attempts, highlighting the vital physical security risks facing the people of Artsakh.

Armenia reaffirms that there is no alternative to the peaceful resolution of the conflict, for which strict adherence to the ceasefire is an essential condition. The security of Artsakh and its people will not be endangered under any circumstances.

The latest incident underscores the urgent need for the finalization of the OSCE investigative mechanism regarding ceasefire violations as soon as possible and for the expansion of the personal representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office’s office, in accordance with Azerbaijan's commitments made in Vienna and Saint Petersburg in 2016.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia expresses its heartfelt condolences to the family and relatives of Artsakh Defense Army serviceman Sipan Melkonyan.