Hikmat Hajiyev: Armenia’s recent provocation once again shows need to create border post on Lachin road

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The provocation committed by Armenia on March 5 once again showed the need to create a border post at the endpoint of the Lachin road on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, Hikmat Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan, Head of the Foreign Policy Affairs Department of the Presidential Administration, said in an interview with Report, News.Az reports. 

Hajiyev recalled that since December 12, representatives of civil society and environmental activists have been protesting against the illegal exploitation of Azerbaijan’s natural resources in the territories of Azerbaijan, where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily deployed.

“As Mr. President said, this is an honorable mission. Our natural resources in Karabakh were plundered before our eyes and exported to Armenia. What sovereign country would tolerate this?”

“This is a peaceful protest, its participants do not have rifles, guns and tanks, and they put forward legitimate demands,” he said.

The presidential aide continued: “But now Armenia has launched a new narrative: allegedly, the Lachin road is “blocked,” and Azerbaijan is preparing to commit a “genocide” of Armenians living in Karabakh. From the first day, we declared that the Lachin road is not closed, and Russian peacekeepers, International Committee of the Red Cross vehicles, and humanitarian cargoes move there freely. From December 12 to the present day, more than 3,600 cars have traveled along the Lachin-Khankandi road. Can this be called a blockade?”

Hajiyev stressed that with such narratives, Armenia intends to mislead the international community, damage the positions of Azerbaijan, delay the signing of a peace agreement and prevent the reintegration of Armenians living in Karabakh into Azerbaijani society.

“Another narrative claims: “Karabakh is isolated from the whole world.” These people do not understand that “Nagorno-Karabakh” is not a separate entity and cannot live as an island. This territory is part of Azerbaijan. The reintegration of Armenian residents into Azerbaijani society is the only way out,” he said.

“I believe that the provocation committed by Armenia on March 5 once again showed the need to create a border post at the endpoint of the Lachin road on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. President Ilham Aliyev made this proposal at the Munich Security Conference,” Hajiyev added.

Source : News.Az