Armenian Foreign Ministry slams border incident as violation of international law - World - TASS

The Foreign Ministry of Armenia on Tuesday described the incident on the border with Azerbaijan, in which an Armenian serviceman was killed, as a breach of international law and an encroachment on its territory.

"On May 25, Armenian serviceman, junior sergeant Gevorg Khurshudyan was fatally wounded by the fire of the armed units of Azerbaijan in the direction of the Upper Shorzha of Gegharkunik region of the Republic of Armenia," the embassy said in a statement.

"We strongly condemn the blatant armed encroachment against the sovereign territory of Armenia - the UN member state, which is a violation of the norms of international law," it said.

According to the document, Azerbaijan refuses to withdraw its armed forces from the sovereign territory of Armenia despite calls from the international community, thus escalating the situation and undermining regional security and stability.

The hostilities on the territory of Armenia give Yerevan the right to undertake necessary steps to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity and to ensure the security of its population, the statement reads.

Later in the day, the Armenian Foreign Ministry’s press service quoted the country’s top diplomat as saying at a meeting with the ambassadors of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan that the lack of due international response to Azerbaijan’s actions may have serious consequences for security in the region.

"On May 25, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Ara Aivazian received accredited ambassadors from member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO): Sergei Kopyrkin (Russia), Alexander Konyuk (Belarus) and Bolat Imanbayev (Kazakhstan). The meeting focused on the Azerbaijani military’s ventures into certain border districts of Armenia that continued since May 12 and, as a result, left an Armenian serviceman fatally wounded on May 25," the ministry said in a statement.

"Aivazian noted that the lack of adequate response to Azerbaijan’s actions from the international community may entail serious consequences for regional security and stability," the document says.

The Armenian top diplomat added that in defiance of the international community’s calls, Azerbaijan retains its military presence on the territory of Armenia and continues its illegitimate actions there.

Earlier, the Defense Ministry of Armenia reported that an Armenian serviceman was fatally wounded in a shootout in the Gegharkunik region on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

The situation at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border remains tense since May 12. That day, the Armenian Defense Ministry announced that the Azerbaijani Armed Forces attempted to carry out "certain operations" in order to "adjust the border" in the Syunik Region. The Azerbaijani Forces reportedly stopped their operations after the Armenian Defense Ministry took reactive measures. Armenia views this incident as an attempt against its sovereignty. According to Pashinyan, the Azerbaijani forces traveled 3.5 km into Armenian territory. Later, Yerevan announced it contacted the Collective Security Treaty Organization over the border incident.