Azerbaijan calls Pelosi's accusations against it 'groundless, unfair accusations'

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - "Groundless, unfair accusations" against Azerbaijan made by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during her visit to Armenia are "unacceptable," the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said Sunday.

"The statement made by the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi during her visit to Armenia on September 18, 2022, which distorts the situation in the region, is deeply regrettable," the ministry said in a statement. "Groundless and unfair accusations made by N. Pelosi against Azerbaijan are unacceptable."

Noting that "Pelosi is known as a pro-Armenian politician," it said the "presence of pro-Armenian members of Congress in her delegation to Armenia is a pure evidence of this."

The ministry claimed that Pelosi's Armenia visit aims to take the support of the Armenian lobby as the period of mid-term elections to the US Congress is approaching.

"It is unacceptable to transfer political intrigues and lobbying interests from the US domestic political agenda to the South Caucasus region via Armenia," it said.

"We regretfully emphasize that N. Pelosi, who speaks about justice, has not demonstrated any position regarding the policy of aggression by Armenia against Azerbaijan, occupation of Azerbaijan’s territory for almost 30 years, the ethnic cleansing of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis and other such serious crimes for which Armenia is responsible," it added.

Pelosi's statement "is a serious blow to efforts to normalize relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan."

"Such unilateral steps and groundless statements serve not to strengthen the fragile peace in the region, but, rather to escalate tension," it concluded.

Pelosi's visit came after Azerbaijan and Armenia reached a cease-fire on Wednesday following the border clashes.

The recent fighting claimed lives on both sides with Azerbaijan reporting 77 soldiers killed and two civilians wounded. Armenia said 135 of its soldiers were killed and six civilians were wounded.

Relations between the former Soviet republics have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.