15:55,
YEREVAN, MAY 14, ARMENPRESS. According to information released by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, large-scale tactical-strategic military exercises will be held in Azerbaijan from May 18 to 22.
“It is noteworthy that the military exercises are exclusively offensive in nature, during which simulations of mass artillery-missile, aviation, precision munition strikes at enemy tactical depth will be conducted”, the Armenian Ministry of Defense commented.
“The Ministry of Defense of Armenia is drawing the attention of the OSCE, the OSCE MG Co-Chairs, the OSCE Personal Representative of the Chairperson in Office and the international community on the fact that the upcoming military exercises in Azerbaijan are taking place without advance notice, which is another manifestation of gross violation and ignoring of the 2011 Vienna document, which is a measure of strengthening trust and security.
The Ministry of Defense of Armenia condemns Azerbaijan’s organization of this military exercise, which escalates the security environment in the region, and is going to take place in conditions of the need for combating with united actions the global challenge – the COVID-19 pandemic, and contrary to UN Secretary General A. Guterres’s call for a global ceasefire.
We call on the Azerbaijani side to display restraint and respect its commitments assumed before the international community. At the same time, we inform that any attempt to move military equipment or manpower near the Armenia state border or the Artsakh Line of Contact during the military exercises will be considered as a provocation and will have corresponding consequences,” the Armenian Ministry of Defense said.
Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan
