"Unfounded allegations once again voiced by Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia at the panel discussions of the 6th Paris Peace Forum on November 10, 2023 demonstrate that Armenia has not abandoned political manipulations and distorted interpretation," said Azerbaijan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs as it commented on the allegations made by Nikol Pashinyan, Prime Minister of Armenia at the panel discussions of the 6th Paris Peace Forum.

"We strongly condemn and reject the allegations of the Prime Minister of Armenia that Armenian residents living in the Garabagh region of Azerbaijan are allegedly subjected to "ethnic cleansing".

Armenia, which has violated the fundamental rights of up to one million Azerbaijanis for almost 30 years of its aggressive policy, committed indiscriminate and unprecedented genocide and massacres against Azerbaijanis, including children, women and the elderly, has no moral right to accuse Azerbaijan of "ethnic cleansing".

It is well known to Prime Minister Pashinyan that the move of Armenian residents living in the Garabagh region of Azerbaijan to Armenia was on the basis of their individual decisions and has nothing to do with forced displacement. We once again remind the Prime Minister that such groundless accusations clearly contradict the reports and statements of representatives of UN specialized agencies who visited the region, as well as the ones actively operating in Armenia.

Presenting the demand of the Western Azerbaijani Community for a safe and dignified return to their native lands as “territorial claims” and “preparation for aggression” against Armenia by the Armenian Prime Minister is completely unfounded. It was Armenia that completely rejected the proposal of the Western Azerbaijani Community for dialogue, thereby demonstrating that it is not interested in peace and stability in the region.

Emphasizing the recognition of sovereignty and territorial integrity, the importance of respecting the Alma-Ata Declaration of 1991 on the delimitation of borders between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the principles of sovereignty, jurisdiction and equality of countries for the establishment of transport and economic relations in the region, Prime Minister forgot about Armenia's violation of these principles for more than 30 years. Unlike Armenia, it was Azerbaijan that proposed peace to Armenia on the basis of the 5 main principles immediately after the 44-day war. Armenia continues to violate these principles with its claims against Azerbaijan.

We call on Armenia, which continues its aggressive and slanderous rhetoric against Azerbaijan using various international platforms, to abandon statements that undermine peace prospects and use the historical opportunities that have arisen for the transformation of the South Caucasus region into a space of peace and cooperation.

We hope that Armenia will adequately respond to the calls made by Azerbaijan to normalize relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and to sign a peace treaty in the near future," the ministry added.