Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry: "Elections" in Karabakh are illegal, Armenian troops should be withdrawn from the region, regime should be dissolved"

Baku/09.09.23/Turan: Illegal activities of the puppet regime established as a result of Armenia's occupation of the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan under the name of "presidential elections" is a gross violation of the Constitution and laws of Azerbaijan, principles and norms of international law.

This is stated in the statement of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry due to the so-called "presidential elections" held today by separatists in Karabakh.

"The establishment of the separatist regime in Azerbaijani territories is the result of the policy of aggression and ethnic cleansing that has been going on for about 30 years.

Steps taken by this regime, which continues its existence thanks to military, political, financial assistance of Armenia have no legal force," the statement of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry further emphasised.

The above-mentioned step, being another element of Armenia's recently intensified provocative and incitement activities, is a serious blow to the process of normalisation in the region and the reintegration of ethnic Armenians living there into the constitutional framework of Azerbaijan.

The holding of the so-called elections has once again clearly demonstrated that Armenia and the regime it has created are seeking to maintain the status quo and are not interested in the peace process, but have instead taken the provocative path of further escalating tensions.

Armenia must stop its senseless attempts to deceive its people and the international community and put an end to its claims against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, finally engage constructively in the normalisation process and comply with its international obligations. Armenia's obstruction of Azerbaijan's dialogue with ethnic Armenians on its sovereign territory is a blatant interference in the internal affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and an attack on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.

The Republic of Azerbaijan will resolutely prevent threats to its sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.

The only way to achieve peace and stability in the region is the unconditional and complete withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan and the dissolution of the so-called regime.

"The Republic of Azerbaijan calls on all members of the international community, in accordance with their obligations under international law, to make a correct political assessment of the steps against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, to take effective measures to prevent steps that endanger the fragile efforts to normalise the situation in the region, and to strongly condemn the illegal activities called 'elections'," the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry statement concluded. -06В-