One year after the war unleashed by Azerbaijan against the people of Nagorno- Karabakh the situation on the borders remains tense, said Armenian FM Ararat Mirzoyan.

His remarks came during the 28th OSCE Ministerial Conference. Mirzoyan also noted, "Azerbaijani armed forces entered Armenian territory in May 2021 and continue reinforcing their illegal presence on the sovereign territory of Armenia," the Foreign Ministry's press service informs. Azerbaijan has grossly violated the principles of the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act.

Baku is violating its obligations under the tripartite declaration of 9 November to cease all hostilities. Azerbaijan is not only holding Armenian hostages but is constantly making new attempts to capture Armenian soldiers and civilians. The last such incident was recorded on 16 November.

The presence of Azerbaijani armed forces on Armenian territory is a destabilizing factor in the region. We hope that the trilateral meeting organized by Russia on 26 November will pave the way for concrete measures to de-escalate the situation in the region. Armenia is ready to achieve long-term stability in the South Caucasus through negotiations.

The sooner Azerbaijan takes steps to restart the peace process, the more opportunities there will be for a comprehensive settlement of the situation in our region. The determination of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh on the basis of the right to self-determination and the safe return of the displaced Armenian population to their homes should be the subject of negotiations.

Armenia will continue to contribute to the full resumption of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group, in close cooperation with all the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries.