“We firmly reject the statement by the Prime Minister’s Office of Armenia dated 18 March 2025 that distorts the realities on the ground and the facts of border area shootings, along with absolutely unfounded claims against Azerbaijan,” said Aykhan Hajizada, spokesperson for Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as he commented on the statement by the Prime Minister’s Office of Armenia concerning border shootings and other anti-Azerbaijani claims.
“Ending the border shooting cases that the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan has announced, as well as the open provocations by the Armenian military personnel also seen from video recordings that the Armenian side is aware of, is a must for the stability. Instead of demonstrating goodwill and ceasing such provocations, the Armenian side’s abstract and practically impossible propositions have no validity as they were for almost 30 years during the occupation of the territories of Azerbaijan by Armenia. It reminds us of proposals made by the Minsk Group co-chairs, instead of calling to end the occupation.
If the Government of Armenia is guided by the agenda of peace as stated by the Prime Minister’s Office, it would be timely to give explanations on how the massive military buildups, especially in the border areas, that also include the deployment of offensive weaponry, serve such an agenda of Armenia.
Concerning the purported goodwill of Armenia on the finalization of the text of the agreement on peace and establishment of interstate relations between the two countries, it is timely to recall the fact that it was Azerbaijan that took the first steps by proposing to work on the peace agreement back in early 2022, when Armenia, by all means, derailed the process. It is also worth reminding that despite Armenia’s multiple challenges in the negotiations, including its refusal to withdraw its remaining forces from the territories of Azerbaijan and promoting the regime that they established in our territories, it is due to Azerbaijan’s efforts and measures such an achievement in the process was accomplished.
At the same time, despite being aware of Azerbaijan’s long-lasting demand to amend the constitution to end the territorial claims against Azerbaijan, Armenia’s continuing disregard of this challenge is highly concerning. We once again reiterate our principled position that the amendment to Armenia’s constitution to eliminate the claims against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is a prerequisite to allow the signing of the negotiated text. Furthermore, we emphasize the necessity to formally abolish the obsolete and dysfunctional Minsk Group and related structures of the OSCE.
Armenia, as a country that has been flagrantly violating international treaties being a party to them, including arms control mechanisms for almost 30 years, engaging in aggression against Azerbaijan and concealing the majority of its military hardware and weaponry from international arms control mechanisms by illegally deploying them in our territories, has no moral right to speak about such mechanisms.
When it comes to opening up communications, Armenia despite written and signed obligations regarding the opening of communications connecting Azerbaijan’s western regions with its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, has not fulfilled them for 4 years. Instead, they put forward proposals for essentially unnecessary, complex to execute, and practically lengthy routes that serve to divert attention away from the process and obligations. If the Armenian side is genuinely interested in the opening of communications in the region, it should not evade its obligations and must take practical steps in line with the new regional realities to facilitate the opening of communications.
Azerbaijan will continue its peace efforts in all directions, and will resolutely prevent any steps against this process,” Hajizada added.
