Statement from the Azerbaijani side

On April 14, Khalaf Khalafov, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, spoke at a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) held in Samarkand, the Press Office of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry reported.

In his speech, the Deputy Minister pointed out that Azerbaijan attaches importance to mutually beneficial partnerships within the CIS and to the continuation of productive interaction at the level of heads of government, including foreign ministries. During the speech, it was stated that the CIS is a mechanism of political consultations where, in addition to mutual cooperation issues, current security issues and the fight against new challenges and threats are discussed in the modern world. It was brought to attention that CIS countries continue expanding cooperation in education, science, culture, health, youth, and sports in difficult international conditions.

"Stating that against the background of the positive steps taken by Azerbaijan, Armenia continues to escalate the situation, the deputy minister spoke about the other party's attempts to undermine the consistent efforts of Azerbaijan and the international community as a whole towards the establishment of peace and normalization of relations between the two countries by using various provocative actions. In this regard, the deputy minister said that the servicemen of the Azerbaijan Army were martyred and wounded as a result of the intensive firing of the units of the Armenian armed forces from the direction of the Digh village of the Gorus region of Armenia on the positions of the Azerbaijan Army in the territory of the Lachin region of the Republic of Azerbaijan," the report added.

"In his speech, the deputy minister, who clarified the issue regarding the assumptions of the Armenian side regarding the alleged closure of the Lachin road by Azerbaijan, emphasized that the illegal exploitation of Azerbaijan's natural resources, the transportation of these resources to Armenia, and the misuse of the Lachin road, which is intended for humanitarian purposes only, are unacceptable. The sovereign said that such activities in the territories of Azerbaijan pose a serious threat to the security and integrity of the state of Azerbaijan," the information stated.

Statement from the Armenian side

On April 14, Ararat Mirzoyan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia, participated in the session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the CIS states, which was held in a narrow and then an enlarged format, the Press Office of the Armenian Foreign Ministry reported.

In the remarks of the Armenian side, it was noted that the meeting is being held on the 30th anniversary of the signing of the CIS Charter. It is a good opportunity to reiterate the commitment of the CIS states to the fundamental provisions of that key document, particularly to the ensuring of human rights and fundamental freedoms by the norms and principles of international law, the inviolability of state borders, the recognition of existing borders and rejection of illegal territorial claims, as well as "the determination to implement the provisions of the agreement on the establishment of the CIS, the protocol attached to that agreement, as well as the Alma-Ata Declaration."

"In the context of the security situation in the South Caucasus, the Armenian side stressed that its efforts aimed at stabilizing the situation and establishing sustainable peace are being disrupted by the continuous aggressive rhetoric of the official Baku and military aggressions, another manifestation of which was the provocation carried out on April 11 in the territory of the Republic of Armenia, in the area of Tegh village of Syunik Region. It was underlined that Azerbaijan's actions contradict the statements of the Prague and Sochi meetings," the report added.

"In the context of the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan, which has been ongoing for four months now, it was highlighted that Armenia expects effective steps from all sides towards implementation of their commitments and adhering to the decision of the International Court of Justice of February 22, and restoring the unimpeded movement along the Lachin corridor strictly in line with the provisions of the November 9, 2020, Trilateral Statement," it said.

Tête-à-tête meeting between the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Russia

On April 14, Ararat Mirzoyan had a tête-à-tête meeting with Sergey Lavrov, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. The meeting took place within the framework of the Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the CIS states in Samarkand. 

The Foreign Ministers exchanged views on the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, border security, delimitation, unblocking of all regional economic and transport links, and the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

"Ararat Mirzoyan presented the details of the provocation carried out by the Azerbaijani armed forces on April 11 in the area of Tegh village of Syunik Region, in the territory of the Republic of Armenia, noting that it was another manifestation of the overall aggressive policy of Azerbaijan," the report added.

"The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh resulting from Azerbaijan's four-month-long blockade of the Lachin corridor was touched upon. The need to remove the blockade of the Lachin corridor was emphasized by the commitments enshrined on November 9, 2020, Trilateral statement," it said.