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Armenia Should Give Up Its Claims to Keep Azerbaijani Territories under Occupation to Ensure Peace and Stability: Deputy Head of AWEU Committee

Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict Materials 16 September 2008 23:10 (UTC +04:00)
Armenia Should Give Up Its Claims to   Keep  Azerbaijani  Territories under Occupation to Ensure Peace and Stability: Deputy Head of AWEU Committee

Azerbaijan, Baku, 16 September / Trend , corr. I.Alizade / The Deputy Head of the Political Committee of the Assembly of the Western European Union, British MP Michael Hancock, said that Armenia should give up its claims to keep Azerbaijani territories under occupation in order to ensure peace and stability. їToday 20% of the Azerbaijani territories have indeed been stolen. It is clear that Armenia has occupied Azerbaijani territories and continues this occupation,ї Hancock said to press conference in Baku on 16 September.

The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in 1988 due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia has occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding Districts. Since 1992, these territories have been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France and USA) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.

Hancock considers that the international organizations, the Council of Europe, OSCE, UNO, will be continuing supporting the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan as previous. їWhile joining the international organizations, Azerbaijan and Armenia had internationally recognized documents,ї he said, adding that firstly it needs to understand the Armenians that it is unacceptable to keep the territory of other country under occupation.

їIt is important for Armenia to understand it because currently the inflation in this country makes up 50%, the Armenians become more poor day by day. Armenia should understand that Armenian people takes no benefits from the continuation of the occupation. We consider that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be resolved within territorial integrity. If the conflict finds its solution, it will be beneficial for Armenia as well,ї Hancock said.

He stated that his visit to Azerbaijan is aimed at studying the situation in the country and position of the countryїs leadership regarding the processes in the region. Azerbaijan is known as a stable country in the region, as well as plays an important role of bridge between Europe and Asia, he said.

The correspondent can be contacted at: [email protected]

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