Caspian Region
Azerbaijan Dismisses Accusations from Armenia of Violating its Borders
An Azeribaijani soldier and police officer talk as they stand guard at the Kalbajar district, Azerbaijan, December 21, 2020. Picture taken December 21, 2020. REUTERS/Aziz Karimov
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Armenia's prosecutor general on Thursday opened a criminal case into "an infringement of territorial integrity" by Azerbaijan, Russia's news agency RIA said, after Armenia's defence ministry accused Azerbaijan of moving forces into its territory.
Armenia and Azerbaijan remain at loggerheads after the latest bloody conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave last year that locked in territorial gains for Azerbaijan and was eventually brought to a halt by a Russian-brokered ceasefire.
Armenia's defence ministry said Azerbaijani armed forces on Thursday "carried out another provocation against the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia, trying to ensure positional advance in the border areas of Vardenis and Sisian."
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Azerbaijani troops to withdraw from Armenia and called on the UN Security Council to help resolve the tension, the Elysée said in a statement.
France is part of the Minsk Group designed to mediate between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The Armenian ministry defence ministry said the Armenian side stopped the Azerbaijani advance and forced its troops to return to their positions.
Azerbaijan dismissed the accusations, saying it was enforcing its own border and is committed to easing tensions in the region, its foreign ministry said late on Thursday.
The Azerbaijani ministry called Armenia's reaction to the developments "inadequate" and "provocative", adding that Azerbaijani officials were in talks with Armenian border guards.
Update by the Caspian Post @ 5:47 pm MDT - From Armenpress today: "The border situation in Armenia’s Gegharkunik province is calm, there is no tension, Governor of the province Gnel Sanosyan told reporters..." This report by Armenpress contradicts news reports that have been circulating the internet today about tension around the Armenian Azerbaijani border.
Top