Jakarta, CNN Indonesia –
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Russia claim if fighters from Syria and Libya is being deployed in a conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh involving Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Responding to the news, Azerbaijan’s deputy foreign minister, Fariz Rzayev, denied that no foreign soldiers were involved in the Azerbaijan military operation.
“As far as (the alleged) is concerned the participation of foreign specialists, representatives or troops in military operations between our ranks, that is not true. The Republic of Azerbaijan does not need that,” Rzayev told news outlets. TASS.
Rzayev also denied reports that Turkey was providing practical military assistance to his party.
He claims that Turkey’s support in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict stems mainly from the brotherly relations between Ankara and Baku.
“The attitude of Azerbaijan rests on the resolution of the UN Security Council and the decisions of the OSCE and other international organizations. Turkey’s position on its support for Azerbaijan must be analyzed starting from these factors,” he continued.
He also said that he shared concerns with the world following reports of the involvement of fighters from the Middle East in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
“We share deep concerns with the international community, including the Russian Federation, regarding information about the use of mercenaries, terrorists and militants from Middle Eastern countries,” he said.
“Unfortunately, the process was started vigorously by the Armenian side in the early 1990s, when the Armenian Armed Forces actively involved these criminals in the process of aggression and occupation of our land.”
He also said Azerbaijan appreciated Russia’s efforts to help resolve the Karabakh conflict, but that international mediation had to start from ending the occupation of Azerbaijan’s sovereign land.
“We highly commend the efforts of the Russian Federation as our close neighbor, as our strategic partner, and as a permanent member of the (UN) Security Council and a chair of the OSCE Minsk Group,” he added.
Russia has previously expressed concern about the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan which has continued to worsen over the past week. Moscow also accused foreign troops of being deployed for the war.
“Fighters from illegal armed groups including those from Syria and Libya are deployed to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone to directly take part in the fighting,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
“We are very concerned about this process which not only increases tensions in the conflict zone further, but also creates a long-term security threat to all countries in the region.”
Not only Russia, French President Emmauel Macron previously accused more than 300 Syrian militants of being deployed through the Turkish city of Gaziantep to the conflict zone in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Responding to the allegations by many, the Turkish foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, raised his voice and said that Azerbaijan did not ask them for military assistance. But Cavusoglu said Ankara was ready to provide support to Baku if asked.
Clashes between Azerbaijan and Armenia broke out on 27 September with fierce fighting in the disputed territory. Violence occurred frequently in the area in 2014, April 2016 and last July.
Nagorno-Karabakh is an ethnic Armenian province that broke away from Azerbaijan in the 1990s during the collapse of the Soviet Union. In 1992-1994, tensions peaked and exploded into large-scale military action. Peace settlement talks have been going on since 1992 under the OSCE Minsk Group led by Russia, France and the United States.
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