No:172/20, Information of the Press Service Department of the MFA of the Republic of Azerbaijan on the extraordinary meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement in connection with the ongoing provocation by Armenia along the international border between Azerbaijan and Armenia

On July 16, 2020, Extraordinary Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement was held in connection with the ongoing provocation by Armenia along the international border between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The meeting convened on the initiative of the Azerbaijani side was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov and the Permanent Representatives of the Non-Aligned Movement member states to the UN.

In his speech, the Minister of Foreign Affairs informed about the military aggression committed by the armed forces of Armenia since July 12, 2020 along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border in the direction of Tovuz district of Azerbaijan with the use of artillery, the situation in the region and the decisive countermeasures taken by Azerbaijan.

The Minister noted that along with the Azerbaijani armed forces, Armenia targeted civilians and civilian objects in violation of international humanitarian law, stressing that the attack resulted in casualties among the Azerbaijani armed forces, as well as civilians and serious damage to civilian objects.

J.Bayramov stressed that the ongoing provocation of Armenia purposefully exacerbates the situation around the conflict, distracts attention from the socio-economic, financial and political crisis that has formed in Armenia and aggravated under the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that these actions by Armenia are a serious violation of international law in general, as well as the Bandung principles, which form the basis of the Non-Aligned Movement.

The Minister stressed the importance of a serious and unequivocal condemnation of Armenia's criminal actions by the international community in order to put an end to Armenia's provocative actions and achieve a solution to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict on the basis of relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

The Minister thanked all states that have demonstrated such a principled position, including member states of the Non-Aligned Movement, and noted that he highly appreciates the support provided by the member states of the Non-Aligned Movement to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan at the highest level, as well as the manifestation of solidarity with the efforts of Azerbaijan towards the restoration of its territorial integrity.

Representatives of the Non-Aligned Movement member states, speaking at the meeting, condemned Armenia's provocations and expressed their support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognized borders.