Grigoryan to Zas: Armenia will defend its territorial integrity and sovereignty by all means

YEREVAN, September 21. /ARKA/. The Secretary of Armenia's Security Council Armen Grigoryan reiterated Armenia's position that Azerbaijani troops must leave Armenian occupied territories as soon as possible as he met today in Yerevan with CSTO Secretary General Stanislav Zas.

Grigoryan also noted that Armenia will defend its territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty by all available means.

Grigoryan and Zas were said to have discussed the situation created as a result of large-scale Azerbaijani aggression unleashed on the sovereign territory of Armenia on September 13.

Grigoryan also presented the prevailing public sentiments in Armenia towards the CSTO.

Zas is heading a CSTO mission that arrived in Armenia on Tuesday to assess the situation on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, prepare a detailed report for the heads of CSTO member states and develop proposals to de-escalate tension on the border.

Armen Grigoryan told Azatutyun Radio on September 16 that Armenia, when it applied to the CSTO, expected military and political assistance to protect its sovereignty and help drive Azerbaijani troops from Armenia's sovereign territory they had invaded on September 13 and 14, but it has not yet been fulfilled. "Our expectations have not been met," Grigoryan said.

Around midnight on September 13, the armed forces of Azerbaijan launched a large-scale attack in the southern and southeastern directions of the Republic of Armenia, encroaching on the territorial integrity of Armenia.

The aggression was carried out with the use of artillery, mortars and UAVs, including not only in the Armenia-Azerbaijan bordering area, but also in the areas of Sotk, Vardenis, Goris, Kapan, Artanish and Ishkhanasar settlements and their civilian infrastructure of Gegharkunik, Vayots Dzor and Syunik regions.

On September 14, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to cease fire on the border as of 8 p.m. Secretary of Armenia’s Security Council Armen Grigoryan said in an interview with the Public Television of Armenia. that the ceasefire was brokered by Armenia's international partners. According to Prime Minister Pashinyan, 207 Armenian soldiers were killed and went missing in clashes with Azerbaijani troops. -0-