Eldar Sabiroglu, Head of the press service, Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan, made arbitrary comments on the interview RA Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan gave Interfax. He accused the Armenian side of “occupying” Azerbaijani territories, claiming the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process is protracting because of the Armenian leaders’ “occupation” policy. In this context, the press service of the RA Ministry of Defenbse issued a statement.

The statement reminds Eldar Sabiroglu, as well as the Azeri mass media, that the RA Minister of Defense has repeatedly stated that the negotiations for a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are conducted within the OSCE Minsk Group and that he is well informed of the relevant international resolutions. The RA defense office advises Mr. Sabiroglu not to indulge in wishful thinking or exacerbate the situation by issuing warlike statements and threats and spreading misinformation. Far from being in line with the spirit of negotiations and establishing peace in the region, this course of action creates tension on the contact line between the Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces.

If Mr. Sabiroglu hopes to discourage the Armenian side and boost the Azeri army’s morale, let him read the Armenian Minister’s words that “in terms of efficiency, Azerbaijan’s armed forces will never be superior to the Armenian and Nagorno-Karabakh armed forces. We hope that this fact will eventually convince the neighboring state’s leadership that a peaceful settlement has no alternative.” The RA Ministry of Defense advises Mr. Sabiroglu to realize this fact.

The Azeri mass media also misinformed the public that the interview with the Armenian Minister of Defense was removed from the Interfax website. The interview was originally out on http://www.militarynews.ru/excl.asp?ex=75».