On September 7, a regular Cabinet meeting took place, chaired by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, the Press Office of the Armenian Prime Minister reported.

Before discussing the issues on the agenda, the Prime Minister referred to the military-political situation in the region, the accumulation and provocations of the Azerbaijani armed forces, and the illegal blocking of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan.

He said, "In the past week, the military-political situation in our region significantly worsened. The reason is that Azerbaijan has been accumulating troops for days along the Nagorno-Karabakh contact line and the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. The rhetoric of anti-Armenian hatred has intensified in the Azerbaijani press and propaganda platforms. The policy of encroachment on the sovereign territory of Armenia continues."

"On September 1, the Azerbaijani armed forces launched another provocation against the sovereign territory of Armenia, in the Sotk sector of the Gegharkunik region, as a result of which three servicemen of the Ministry of Defense were killed. This provocation was preceded and followed by the spread of false news by Azerbaijan about the violation of the ceasefire regime by the Armenian Armed Forces on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border," the Armenian leader added.

Pashinyan noted, "Azerbaijan continues to block the Lachin Corridor illegally. The humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh has reached its peak. It is obvious that with these actions, Azerbaijan demonstrates its intention to launch a new military provocation against Nagorno Karabakh and the Republic of Armenia. To justify such provocation, false and untrue theses are put into circulation." He emphasized: "In order to address the rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Baku-Stepanakert dialogue within the framework of the international mechanism, and the unblocking of the Lachin Corridor in accordance with the decisions of the International Court of Justice of February 22 and July 6, 2023, are essential."

Response from Azerbaijan

On the same day, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated that the Prime Minister of Armenia, Nikol Pashinyan, during the government meeting on September 7, accused Azerbaijan of intensifying the military and political situation in the region and alleged that Azerbaijan is concentrating forces in the region, which is part of the next fake political manipulation of the Armenian side.

"It is known to everyone that the real threat to security in the region is the continuation of military and political provocations by Armenia, the ongoing claims of the Armenian side, including the Prime Minister, against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, and the Armenian armed forces, which have not yet been withdrawn from the territories of Azerbaijan in violation of obligations," the report added.

"In order to establish peace and security in the region, the Armenian side should give up its territorial claims against Azerbaijan, stop military and political provocations, and stop the obstacles to the successful conclusion of the peace treaty negotiation process," it noted.