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March 19
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The military and political leadership of Azerbaijan is preparing ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. Visiting Armenian foreign minister Ararat Mirzoyan said this at Monday’s news conference following his meeting in Moscow with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

"My visit takes place amid the tense situation in the South Caucasus and the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor, which has been going on for more than three months," he said.

The minister described Azerbaijan's actions as a gross violation of its obligations under the tripartite declaration of November 9, 2020. The minister reminded that on February 22, the International Court of Justice (ICC) obligated Azerbaijan to take measures to ensure the unimpeded movement of transport and population through the Lachin corridor.

"The decisions of the UN ICC are binding," the Armenian foreign minister emphasized, adding that he expects effective steps from all sides to settle the situation.

The minister reminded that the blockade of Lachin corridor is not the only case of breach of obligations by Azerbaijan. The Foreign Minister reminded about the murder of three employees of the passport department of the Nagorno-Karabakh Police by an Azerbaijani sabotage team on March 5.

On March 6, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation clearly recorded that the incident was committed by the Azerbaijani side, the minister stated. He added that the deployment of the Russian peacekeepers aims to ensure the safety of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, and to create conditions for normal life.

However, according to him, there are a number of events, such as the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh villages, keeping Armenian prisoners of war, the blockade of the Lachin corridor, the murders of policemen and civilians, the regular violations of the ceasefire, Baku's refusal to implement the mechanism of the return of Armenians to the Nagorno-Karabakh territory and neighboring regions now under the control of Azerbaijan,  which is provided for in clause 7 of the trilateral statement of 2020, although Azerbaijan has unilaterally started the resettlement, trying to eliminate the Armenian trace from the region.

"Our assessment is the same: the military and political leadership of Azerbaijan is preparing ethnic [Armenian] cleansing [in Nagorno-Karabakh]," said Mirzoyan.

According to him, without reducing the role of Russia and its peacekeepers in establishing the ceasefire in 2020, the question of the need to provide guarantees for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and, in that sense, the need to send an international mission to Nagorno-Karabakh and Lachin corridor, international mechanisms for the prevention of genocide, arises.

"We hope for cooperation with the Russian Federation in this matter," said the Armenian FM minister.

He reminded that at the same time, Azerbaijan continues to occupy the sovereign territory of Armenia. Moreover, the leadership of Azerbaijan claims almost the entire territory of Armenia. Baku's direct threats are reflected in recent statements that Armenia cannot live peacefully on its 29,000 square kilometers if it does not accept Azerbaijan's conditions, Mirzoyan listed.

However, the Armenian FM reaffirmed Yerevan's position that only negotiations can provide a solution that will bring stability and peace.

“We are waiting for you in Yerevan at a convenient time for you," Mirzoyan concluded addressing Lavrov.

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