Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry accuses head of CE Committee of Ministers of double standards

Baku/19.01.23/Turan: The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry expressed regret at the statement by the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, Foreign Minister of Iceland Tordis Gilfadottir about the situation on the Lachin road, which "does not reflect the real situation." The attitude of Gilfadottir to the peaceful protest action on the Lachin road with a demand to stop the illegal exploitation of Azerbaijani mineral deposits and their export to Armenia is not clear.

“Protests against illegal economic and military activities on the territory of Azerbaijan are the right of the citizens of the country and must be respected. Statements like the one made by Gilfadottir do not contribute to peace and tranquility in the region and lead to an increase in tension,” the commentary says.

It also points to the groundlessness of the assertion about the "closure" of the Lachin road and the "humanitarian catastrophe" in the region. Over the past period, motorcades of the Russian peacekeeping contingent and the International Committee of the Red Cross, about 800 vehicles, as well as Armenian ambulances, passed freely along the road. In addition, there are no barriers to the supply of goods for use by local residents of medical services.

The Azerbaijani government is ready to promptly resolve all humanitarian needs that Armenian residents may face. There is also irrefutable evidence from local Armenian leaders to “artificially create a humanitarian crisis by preventing the population from using the road,” the  comment of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

The lack of reaction of the head of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to the situation of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis expelled from their homes, to the war crimes of Armenia, to the death and injury of 282 Azerbaijanis in mine explosions after the 2020 war, as well as the delivery of mines to Karabakh along the Lachin road 2021 raises questions. 

"This once again testifies to double standards and a selective approach," the comment noted. Baku calls on the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to refrain from actions and statements that are detrimental to peace in the region. --06B--