Armenia's actions in border areas fit exclusively into the logic of defense - MFA

YEREVAN, March 19. /ARКА/. Armenia can prepare for one force scenario - to counter possible aggression, said the press secretary of the Armenian Foreign Ministry Ani Badalyan, commenting on Azerbaijan's accusations of militarization of Armenia and the deployment of offensive armaments in border areas, and preparations for a scenario of using force.

"All of Armenia's steps in the border areas fit exclusively into the logic of defense," she said.

According to Badalyan, a comment regarding the force scenario "can only arise on the issue of the occupied territories of the Republic of Armenia with an area of ​​more than 200 square kilometers, regarding which Armenia has clearly stated that it does not raise the issue of resolving this problem by force."

"The border delimitation process, and now the agreed text of the Peace Agreement, have created all the opportunities for resolving this issue peacefully," she explained.

The press secretary of the Foreign Ministry recalled that back in 2021, Armenia proposed a mirror withdrawal of troops from the border areas, to which Azerbaijan did not agree.

"In this context, the militarization of the region may be a cause for concern, and it is precisely to resolve this problem that Armenia has proposed to Azerbaijan to establish a bilateral mechanism for mutual arms control, to which, however, Azerbaijan has not yet given a positive response," she noted.

Badalyan emphasized that Armenia is not militarizing, but is implementing an army transformation strategy, which is a public document.

"I once again confirm the commitment of the Republic of Armenia to the peace agenda and call on Azerbaijan to begin consultations on the place and timing of signing the agreed text of the agreement "On the establishment of peace and interstate relations," she concluded.