Sharmazanov Responds to Lavrov's Statement

As previously reported by Auroranews, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov gave an extensive interview today, in which he addressed various issues, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He specifically stated that Armenia has "occupied about seven regions of Azerbaijan" for many years, and that Russia has proposed numerous options that Armenia's former leadership has not positively received, as they wished to retain territories they have never claimed. According to him, "Azerbaijan has reclaimed its rightful lands."

Lavrov's statement did not go unanswered by representatives of the "former" authorities, namely former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and head of the Armenian parliamentary delegation to the CSTO PA, Edward Sharmazanov. He wrote on his Facebook page, in particular:

"Azerbaijan has not liberated but has occupied part of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan is an aggressor and an occupying state. Azerbaijan has not liberated, but has occupied Shushi, Hadrut, and part of the Republic of Artsakh. The Azerbaijani authorities 'spat' on the co-chairmanship of the OSCE Minsk Group (USA, Russia, France) when they decided to resolve the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh through war. No one has canceled the right to self-determination. It is one of the purposes of the UN.

The right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination is inalienable. Any official, whether from an allied country, a partner country, or an adversary country, must know that we will not retreat from the struggle for the right to self-determination of Artsakh. Artsakh has never been and will never be part of independent Azerbaijan. I do not care about the rules and the world where the right of Artsakh to self-determination will not be inalienable," wrote Sharmazanov.