Azerbaijan claims voluntary border crossing by resident of Armenia

Narek Sardaryan, a resident of Armenia, has crossed the border with the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic (NAR) and asked for Azerbaijani citizenship, the authorities of this country report. Armenia, in its turn, denies Sardaryan's voluntary crossing of the border, stating that he disappeared a few days ago.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 12, the situation on the border of the Tovuz District of Azerbaijan and the Tavush Region of Armenia worsened. According to the Armenian side, this was caused by an Azerbaijan's attempt to break through the border. In its turn, Azerbaijan claims that the conflict escalated after the Armenian militaries tried to go on an attack. On July 15, authorities of Azerbaijani border villages announced the stabilization of the situation.

Narek Sardaryan, a cattle breeder from the village of Nerkin Khndzoresk in Armenia, has crossed the border of the NAR (Azerbaijan) on July 15. He admitted that he had long planned to go over to the Azerbaijan, as he was tired of "arbitrariness in his country," the "Sputnik-Azerbaijan" reports.

He asked for the citizenship of Azerbaijan, and if it is impossible, to transfer him to a third country, the "minval.az" reports.

Ervand Malunts, the head of the rural community, has presented his version of events: Sardaryan disappeared on July 8, when he rode a horse out of the farm to the pasture.