Baku expects clarification from Belgrade

Baku/20.07.20/Turan: Charge d'Affaires of Serbia in Azerbaijan Danica Veinovich was summoned to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry on Monday.

During a conversation with Deputy Minister Khalaf Khalafov, she was told that Serbia has supplied Armenia a large number of weapons and ammunition, including mortars. The Armenian side used mortars during the recent offensive operations in the Tovuz region when shelling the positions of the Azerbaijani military on the border. During the shelling, 12 Azerbaijani soldiers, and one local resident were killed.

Khalafov drew attention to the fact that Azerbaijan and Serbia have a strategic partnership. The two countries signed a Declaration of Friendship and Strategic Partnership and a joint action plan for strategic partnership. According to these documents, Azerbaijan and Serbia recognize each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

It was confirmed that Serbia supports the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict based on the sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability of the borders of Azerbaijan. Khalafov said Azerbaijan has always consistently supported the territorial integrity of Serbia.

Therefore, the supply of weapons to Armenia is regarded in Baku as an unfriendly step and support for the aggressive policy of Armenia. This causes deep regret and disappointment among the Azerbaijani people and leadership, Khalafov said, stressing that such unfriendly actions undermine the strategic partnership of the two countries. He noted that Baku is waiting for an explanation from Belgrade and the elimination of the reasons for such actions.

Danica Vejnovic stated that she did not have information on these issues and promised to convey the position of Baku to the Serbian side. She expressed the hope that this would not harm the Serbian-Azerbaijani partnership. — 1606D—