Armenia demands to withdraw Turkish armed forces from Karabakh conflict zone

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Armenia requests Ankara to withdraw the Turkish armed forces and "terrorist groupings" from the Karabakh conflict zone. The statement of the Armenian MFA came against the background of the Recep Erdogan's sharp criticism of the French parliament for calling for recognition of the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in early October, France and the United States made public the information concerning the transfer of militants from Syria to the Karabakh conflict zone in transit through Turkey. On October 4, the Armenian authorities accused Turkey of involvement in shelling attacks on cities, towns, and villages in Nagorno-Karabakh and requested the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) to respond to the above-mentioned fact.

Today, at a press conference in Moscow, Ara Aivazyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, has claimed that Turkey is "the main instigator and inspirer" of the Azerbaijani offensive operation in Karabakh. According to the Armenian Foreign Minister, at present, Ankara "still continues to conduct a policy that is detrimental to the region." "Turkey must withdraw its armed personnel and terrorist groupings affiliated with it from the Karabakh conflict zone and from Southern Caucasus as a whole," Ara Aivazyan said.

According to the Armenian Foreign Minister, "so far, there are no clear signals about the withdrawal of foreign militants and terrorists." "On the contrary, there is reliable information about the Azerbaijan's plans to expand the geography of the spread of militants, terrorists, and mercenaries" and resettle them to the regions of Nagorno-Karabakh that have come under the control of Azerbaijan," Ara Aivazyan says in a video record made during the press conference and posted on the YouTube channel of the edition "News".

The statements of the Armenian Foreign Minister came after on December 5, Turkish President Recep Erdogan expressed his indignation at the resolution of the French parliament on the need for France to recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Turkish President called the French parliament's resolution an encroachment upon the sovereignty of Azerbaijan.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 7, 2020 at 06:51 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.