Due to the long-standing armed attacks and provocations directed against members of the Azerbaijani army and security personnel by illegal Armenian armed groups in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani army has launched today (19 September) an anti-terrorist operation which targets exclusively military elements.

Azerbaijan had to take the measures it deemed necessary on its own sovereign territory as a result of the fact that the legitimate and rightful concerns it has constantly expressed about the situation on the ground in the past three years since the end of the Second Karabakh War, have not been resolved.

We believe that result-oriented continuation of the comprehensive negotiation process that has been meticulously carried out between Azerbaijan and Armenia to date, is the only way for maintenance of peace, security, prosperity and lasting stability in the region.