Armenian FM details war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh at CIS gathering

YEREVAN, April 2. /ARKA/. Addressing a meeting of the Council of CIS Foreign Ministers in Moscow today, Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazyan spoke about the consequences of the Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression against Artsakh i(Nagorno-Karabakh) in the autumn of 2020.

In the context of regional security and stability issues, Ayvazyan drew his counterparts' attention to the humanitarian situation in Artsakh after the 44-day Turkish-Azerbaijani aggression that involved also foreign armed terrorists, the press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry reported.

It said Minister Ayvazyan presented in detail the numerous war crimes committed by Azerbaijan during the hostilities such as deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, inhuman and degrading treatment of prisoners of war.

The Armenian minister stressed that these actions were aimed at exterminating the indigenous population of Artsakh in its historical homeland.

Touching upon the implementation of the provisions of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020 on the cessation of hostilities in Artsakh, the minister stressed the need for the immediate return of the Armenian prisoners of war and civilians held hostage in Azerbaijan.

The Armenian Foreign Minister also raised the issue of flagrant facts of vandalism against the Armenian religious and cultural heritage in Artsakh. In this context, the minister stressed the inadmissibility of another cultural genocide by Azerbaijan, noting that it is impossible to achieve reconciliation and peace on the ruins of Armenian churches.

Summing up his speech, Ayvazyan stated that lasting peace in the region can be achieved only through a comprehensive settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict based on the principles of international law, self-determination and equality of peoples in the format of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmanship. -0-