Azerbaijan scolded US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday, for saying that Baku had started a border conflict with Armenia, saying the "unsubstantiated and unfair" remarks were a serious blow to peace efforts.US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday strongly condemned what she said were "illegal" border attacks by Azerbaijan on Armenia that triggered clashes in which more than 200 people were killed.
Pelosi said her trip to Armenia had particular importance following the "illegal and deadly attacks by Azerbaijan" on Armenia.
"We strongly condemn those attacks," Pelosi said. She said it was clear that the border fighting was triggered by Azeri attacks on Armenia.
Azerbaijan's response
"The unsubstantiated and unfair accusations leveled by Pelosi against Azerbaijan are unacceptable," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "Pelosi is known as a pro-Armenian politician."
"This is a serious blow to the efforts to normalize relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan," the foreign ministry said, casting Pelosi's remarks as "Armenian propaganda."
Azerbaijan repeated its position that the fighting was the result of "a large-scale military provocation" by Armenia, a narrative rejected by Yerevan.
"Currently, the ceasefire is being observed and the escalation of the situation has been prevented," Azerbaijan said.
Azerbaijan said Pelosi's remarks were an attempt to cater to Armenian-Americans ahead of the US midterm elections. "It is unacceptable to transfer the domestic political intrigues on the US agenda and lobbying interests to the South Caucasus region through Armenia."
Pelosi's comments, it said, were perilous.
"Such unilateral steps and baseless statements serve not to strengthen the fragile peace in the region, but, on the contrary, to escalate tensions," the foreign ministry said.