YEREVAN. - Azerbaijan continues distorting the essence and causes of Karabakh conflict, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am, commenting on statement of Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mammadyarov about necessity of withdrawal of Armenian forces from so-called “occupied” Azerbaijani territories.

“If Azerbaijan goes for Non Permanent Seat in UN Security Council, let it first withdraw its army from occupied regions of Nagorno-Karabakh,’’ said Kocharyan.

Azerbaijan has initiated a large-scale aggression against the people of Nagorno-Karabakh despite the four requirements of UN Security Council Resolution in 1993 on immediate cessation of hostilities. North-Karabakh, part of Martakert and Martuni regions are still under Azeri occupation.

Commenting on recurrent efforts of senior Azerbaijani officials to justify the aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, by the fact that it is not recognized, Kocharyan called those attempts futile.

"Futile attempts of Baku to avoid responsibility for the aggression motivating that Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is not recognized, contradicts to the definition of aggression adopted by the UN General Assembly 14 December 1974. Under Article 1 of the definition of the term "aggression" is applicable not only to recognized states, but also to internationally unrecognized, non UN member states,” he stressed.