Azerbaijan criticized a statement made by Canada's Foreign Ministry on Baku's checkpoint on the Lachin corridor, saying that it creates a "serious misunderstanding."
Underlining that the border checkpoint on the Lachin-Khankendi road was set up on Azerbaijan's own territory, the country's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that doing so was Baku's legitimate right and "well within the framework of all international regulations."
"The establishment of this checkpoint is a national security decision made in the time of continuing military provocations of Armenia against Azerbaijan, usage of the road for illegal activities, transportation of weapons and mines, and rotation of the military personnel of Armenia contrary to the provisions of the Trilateral Statement," it said in response to a statement on Tuesday by the Canadian Foreign Ministry.
"In this regard, the allegations of the establishment of the aforementioned checkpoint affecting the peace process and stability in the region are baseless. In contrast, this step will serve to effectively prevent the stated illegal activities," said the Azerbaijani ministry.
The statement by Canada quoted Foreign Minister Melanie Joly as saying that Ottawa was "deeply concerned" with the checkpoint's establishment, calling on Baku to "reopen" the road.
In response, Azerbaijan said the insinuation that the checkpoint had closed the Lachin-Khankendi road was "completely baseless," stressing that the facility would serve to regulate cross-border passages.
It emphasized that, in addition to Azerbaijan's guarantees "to the safety of the movement of citizens, vehicles, and goods on the Lachin road," Armenian residents of Karabakh could also pass via the checkpoint in a "transparent and regulated passage" way in both directions.
It added that it was unacceptable that Joly "mistakenly" referred to the Karabakh region as "Nagorno-Karabakh," saying that Baku considered it necessary for Ottawa to "pay attention to such points."
On Monday, Azerbaijan announced that it had established a border control mechanism at the starting point of the Lachin road in light of "threats and provocations" by Armenia.
Baku accuses Yerevan of using the Lachin-Khankendi road, which connects Armenia and the Karabakh region, to illegally transport military arms and equipment to the region, prompting calls from Azerbaijan to establish a border crossing and control point at its end.
Meanwhile, France's Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna began a visit to Azerbaijan on Wednesday to hold talks with President Ilham Aliyev on easing tensions with Baku's arch-foe and Caucasus neighbor Armenia.
Colonna's trip comes as both Western nations and Russia – which has traditionally mediated the conflict – accused Azerbaijan of violating the Moscow-brokered cease-fire that ended a 2020 war with Armenia.
Colonna is due to hold talks with Aliyev and her Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov.
France has moved to make efforts to mediate the conflict in recent months, with Russia distracted by its Ukraine offensive.
A French diplomatic source said the visit was important but was taking place in a "tense" context, describing relations with Baku as "difficult in recent months."
After visiting Baku, Colonna will travel to Yerevan before making her way to Georgia's capital Tbilisi on Friday.
Relations between the two former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.
In the fall of 2020, in 44 days of clashes, Azerbaijan liberated several cities, villages, and settlements from Armenian occupation. The Russian-brokered peace agreement is celebrated as a triumph in Azerbaijan.
