Lithuanian comments on Karabakh region 'regrettable': Azerbaijan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Azerbaijan on Sunday criticized as "regrettable" a Lithuanian statement on the Karabakh region and recent developments around the Lachin corridor, which connects the region to Armenia.

“It is surprising and regrettable that Lithuania, a Pribaltika (Russian term for ‘by the Baltic Sea’) country with which Azerbaijan has had extensive partnership relations for many years and which attaches special importance to the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of international law in interstate relations and always adheres to these principles, made such a statement,” said Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry.

The ministry said Lithuania’s comments create a “misunderstanding in the context of various discussions held” during a May visit to Azerbaijan by Gitanas Nausada, Lithuania’s president.

It added that Lithuania should bear in mind “that there is no territorial unit called ‘Nagorno-Karabakh’ on the territory of Azerbaijan. Just as Lithuania is no longer called a ‘Pribaltika’ state, it is unacceptable to call the Karabakh Economic Region of Azerbaijan by the past names formulated during the Soviet Union.”

It added that Azerbaijan is worried that Lithuania is applying a “biased and one-sided approach” to the issue rather than protesting violations made by Armenia in the region, such as “illegal economic activity, looting of natural resources, as well as the use of Lachin road for military provocations, the transfer of landmines to the territory of Azerbaijan, and for illegal economic activity.”

“Regarding the claims on the humanitarian situation in the region, we once again declare that Azerbaijan is always ready to meet the humanitarian needs of the Armenian residents living in the territories of Azerbaijan, and there is no need for the intervention of a third party in this matter,” it concluded.

Relations between the two former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

In the fall of 2020, in 44 days of clashes, Azerbaijan liberated several cities, villages, and settlements from Armenian occupation. The Russian-brokered peace agreement is celebrated as a triumph in Azerbaijan.​​​​​​​

Since Monday, Azerbaijani ecologists representing NGOs have been protesting Armenia’s illegal exploitation of natural resources in the region, where Russian peacekeepers have been stationed since the aftermath of the fall 2020 conflict.

Last Sunday, Azerbaijan sent a diplomatic note to Russia concerning the "illegal exploitation" and mining of natural resources in the liberated Karabakh region, as its officials had been prevented from entering the area.

A ministry statement said illegal exploitation and looting of natural resources was observed, especially in the Kyzylbulag gold and Demirli copper-molybdenum mines.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​