October 19, 2020 - 12:28 AMT
Armenia rejects Azerbaijan's plans to resolve conflict militarily

Armenia will undertake all necessary measures to resolutely reject Azerbaijan's intention to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict militarily, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Monday, October 19.

The Foreign Ministries of Armenia and Azerbaijan simultaneously issued a statement to declare a humanitarian truce, which was achieved through the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and through the personal mediation of the President of France. However, as in the previous time, when an agreement was reached in Moscow, Azerbaijan once again demonstrated its total absence of willingness to adhere to its commitments, the Foreign Ministry added.

"All this was accompanied by statements of the representatives of Azerbaijani political and military leadership that Azerbaijan will not cease the hostilities until the "victorious end" of the war. Notably, similar statements were made in Turkey," the statement reads.

"Minutes after the announcement of the humanitarian truce, the Azerbaijani armed forces resumed hostilities, and on the morning of October 18 launched a large-scale offensive on the southern front.

"In fact, this is the second ceasefire agreement that Azerbaijan does not want or is unable to implement, at the same time deceiving the international community and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, in particular.

"We remain faithful to commitments set out in the Moscow Joint Statement of October 10 and the Statement of October 17, with the primary goal of establishing a sustainable ceasefire maintained through verification mechanisms.

"In this respect, we reiterate those statements, which gave a practical expression to the statement of the leaders of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries on October 1, as well as to the statement of Foreign Ministers of the Co-Chair countries on October 5.

"We are committed to a settlement exclusively through peaceful means - through the negotiation process.

"By adhering to the agreements reached, the Republic of Armenia maintains its right to undertake all necessary measures to resolutely reject Azerbaijan's intention to resolve conflict by military means."

Azerbaijan, with help from Turkey and Syrian and Libyan mercenaries deployed by Ankara, started a war against Karabakh (Artsakh) in the morning of September 27. The Armenian side has reported deaths and injuries both among the civilian population and the military. Foreign and local journalists too have been injured in Azeri shelling of towns and villages.

Donations can be made to Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, which has launched a fundraising campaign to support humanitarian efforts in Karabakh.