A day earlier, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) accused Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev for preparing “grounds for vandalism” in Karabakh, following Aliyev’s visits to the Hadrut district and the town of Shusha. “Statements made by the president of Azerbaijan in the Hadrut district reveal the intention to destroy Armenian settlements and replace them with the Azerbaijani ones, which violates the provisions of the trilateral statement of 9 November 2020, according to which the displaced people must return to their places of residence. It also proves that the Armenians of Karabakh cannot survive under the Azerbaijani control,” the ministry said.

“Moreover, within the framework of its policy of ethnic cleansing, Azerbaijan is undertaking consistent steps aimed at eliminating and appropriating the Armenian cultural heritage of Karabakh. In parallel with the physical destruction of the cultural monuments of Karabakh, which are currently under its control, Azerbaijan at the highest level has resorted to a deplorable practice of falsifying historical facts and alienating religious and cultural values of the Armenian people,” the statement added. 

The Azerbaijani MFA responded to this statement by saying that the visits of Azerbaijani President to Azerbaijani-controlled territories in Karabakh could not be a topic of discussion for the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Armenian MFA before speaking about non-existent destructions, should not forget the policy of looting and cleansing of historical, cultural and religious heritage implemented by Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan for almost 30 years, razing ground 63 mosques,” the ministry said. “The Armenian side does not understand yet that it is necessary to move away from such rhetoric and focus on the implementation of the signed trilateral statements. Poisoning its people with revenge and dangerous views does not promise anything to Armenia,” the statement further added.