Friday, July 17 2020 14:54

ArmInfo. The delegation of Armenia drew the attention of the participants of the OSCE Permanent Council to the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border.

As reported to ArmInfo by the press service of the Ministry of  Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, during the meeting, the  Armenian side initiated a discussion on the issue of "a military  attack by Azerbaijan on the north-eastern direction of the state  border of Armenia." Armenia's Permanent Representative to the OSCE,  Ambassador Armen Papikyan told the participants of the event about  the development of the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani state  border since July 12, when Azerbaijan resorted to another provocation  to this day, stating that the development of the situation indicates  that it has been planned.

"The President of Azerbaijan, constantly voicing threats of attacking  on the territory of Armenia, in particular on the capital of the  Republic of Armenia - Yerevan, as well as the Zangezur district of  Armenia, who constantly complains that" modern Armenia is based on  Azerbaijani lands ", etc., etc. , in recent months, in the course of  his public speeches, returned to warlike rhetoric, assuring his  people that Azerbaijan is capable of resolving the Karabakh conflict  by military means.  The Armenian delegation has always drawn the  attention of the OSCE participating States to the propaganda of  Armenian-phobia and hatred encouraged and supported by the leadership  of Azerbaijan. We see this as an instrument in the hands of the  authorities of this country to unite society against an external  enemy, and attempts to divert attention from internal problems:  dictatorial rule, widespread corruption, the shameful state of human  rights, the widespread abuse of fundamental freedoms, "the diplomat  noted.

At the same time, the diplomat added that the degree of Armenian  hatred has reached such a dangerous point that even in the case of  easy manipulations by the military-political leadership of  Azerbaijan, it can lead to military clashes, even to large-scale  aggression both on the state border of Armenia and along the line of  contact.

He drew attention to strikes from Grad weapons, mortars and shock  UAVs against Armenian border communities, as a result of which both  residential buildings and civilian infrastructure facilities of the  Berd, Aygepar, Movses, Chinari, Verin-Karmiragbyur communities of  Tavush region of Armenia were affected.

The Ambassador emphasized the bombing of the Aygepar kindergarten. In  this context, he noted that this is not the first case of a  deliberate attack on civilian infrastructure by Azerbaijan, it is  ongoing, and the latest striking evidence is the April war of 2016,  when the Azerbaijani side grossly violated international humanitarian  law.

"This is nothing more than an expression of hatred, xenophobia and  intolerance towards the Armenian people - a policy officially  encouraged at the highest level in Azerbaijan. Such behavior of  Azerbaijan should be clearly condemned. Moreover, the political and  military leadership of Azerbaijan should bear all responsibility for  this. ", Papikyan stressed.

The Ambassador also said that it is not for the first time when the  Azerbaijani side is deploying its artillery batteries in settlements,  thereby endangering the life of its own population. He recalled that  Azerbaijan acted in the same way in April 2016. Armenian Permanent  Representative to the OSCE noted that this once again proves that the  military-political leadership of Azerbaijan is absolutely not  interested in the security of its people, and even more so the  security of the people of Armenia and Artsakh. Papikyan also  mentioned the statements made by Turkey in the current situation,  qualifying them as a direct encouragement of the behavior of  Azerbaijan, which in the current tense situation is absolutely  irresponsible and unacceptable.

In conclusion, he noted that this tension on the border with Armenia  proves once again that in order to create a favorable environment for  peace and prepare peoples for peace, first of all, it is necessary to  reduce the threat of military force from Azerbaijan and expand the  capabilities of the office of the Personal Representative of the  Chairperson of the OSCE.

Papikyan stressed that initiatives aimed at creating trust between  peoples, creating conditions conducive to peace, and preparing  nations for peace are the only way to ensure stability in the region.