Armenia slams Azerbaijan’s “threat” and “coercion” policy as unacceptable

Armenia said Azerbaijan’s policy of “threat” and “coercion” is unacceptable.

“The Republic of Armenia will protect its independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity by all available means,” a Security Council statement said on Monday.

Urging Azerbaijani troops to withdraw from the occupied territories of Armenia, the council said the international community should continuously exert pressure on Azerbaijan to do so, after a meeting chaired by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Monday.

“We welcome all those countries and organizations that have taken a clear position” over the issue, the statement said.

Last week, new clashes erupted between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which was seen as the most violent confrontation since the six weeks war of autumn 2020 over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. Azerbaijan blamed Armenian armed forces of a series of “large-scale provocations” and said it has taken “retaliatory” measures. Denying the allegations, Armenia accused Azerbaijan for shelling Armenian positions, using large-caliber weapons, artillery, missile systems, and UAVs and occupying ten square kilometers of Armenian sovereign territory.

As a result of Azerbaijani aggression against the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, the number of victims and missing persons reached 207, three of them civilians, the Security Council said. While 20 soldiers were captured by the Azerbaijani forces, 293 Armenian soldiers and seven civilians were wounded, the statement said. 

“There are evidences of cases of torture, mutilation of captured or already dead servicemen, and thus illegally depriving Armenian servicemen of life by Azerbaijanis,” according to the statement.

Azerbaijani military forces invaded Armenian sovereign territory in several directions and targeted 36 settlements, including Goris, Sisian, Kapan, Jermuk, Vardenis, Tegh, Geghamasar communities, Armenian Security Council said.

192 houses, three hotels, two schools, one medical facility, one banquet hall and four cattle barns were partially or completely destroyed and seven electrical infrastructures, five water infrastructures, three gas pipelines, one bridge, two highways and one street were damaged during Azerbaijan’s military operation, it said. Two ambulances and four private cars were also targeted, the council said.

“Thanks to the persistent and heroic resistance of the Armed Forces of Armenia and the involvement of the international community, the attack of Azerbaijan was stopped, but the military-political situation remains tense,” the Security Council said.

The aggressive policy pursued by Azerbaijan is aimed at thwarting the efforts of establishing peace in the region, opening regional communications, finding a comprehensive settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem and enforcing solutions to the Republic of Armenia, according to the statement.