“Despite the inflammatory efforts and propaganda of the Armenian side, during the counter-terrorism measures the civilian population was not targeted, the civil infrastructure was not damaged, and only legitimate military infrastructure and facilities were destroyed,” said Aykhan Hajizada, Spokesperson for Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as he commented on the statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia of 19 September.

“Notwithstanding numerous calls from the Azerbaijani side not to leave their places of residence, despite the launched reintegration program, Armenian residents decided to leave the territories of Azerbaijan. It was their free choice, and to label it as an “ethnic cleansing” shows the hypocrisy of Armenia, which has mass-evicted Azerbaijanis from Armenia and occupied Azerbaijani territories, committing genocide and massacres,” Hajizada noted.

“With the complete restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and state sovereignty, a historic opportunity has emerged for the normalization of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and consequently for the signing of a final peace agreement,” the MFA spokesperson added.