Edmon Marukyan: "Azerbaijan Wants to Control Lachin Corridor"
In an interview with Azatutyun, the Armenian service of RFE/RL, on November 25, Edmon Marukyan, the Ambassador of Armenia on Special Tasks, stated that Armenia, according to official Baku, uses the Lachin Corridor for illegal military bases. "Azerbaijan is trying to create a basis for taking full control of the Lachin Corridor," he added.
Edmon Marukyan said that statements from Baku have a clear goal: "Why is this done? They are doing this for one thing only - they are trying to gain control over the Lachin Corridor. This 'sauce' was also prepared for this. We have now responded to this and informed all our international partners that these mines have been removed from the indicated places, that is, from the occupied territories of the Republic of Armenia."
Edmon Marukyan added, "If they took control of this area in August, why did they find the mines now, in November? The reality is this: Azerbaijan removed anti-personnel mines from the 140-kilometer-long occupied sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia - near Jermukh, Zod, and Khaznavar - and brought them to the height called Saribaba in their language. By this, they wanted to say, 'look, the corridor of Lachin is used for the transportation of ammunition".
According to Marukyan, Armenia has not deviated "even a millimeter" from the peace treaty process.