Azerbaijan, Baku, April 14 / Trend /
A resolution on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been adopted at the International Young Democrat Union Board Meeting in the Lebanese capital Beirut.
The resolution stressed that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been lasting for more than 20 years, "Europe-Azerbaijan" society told Trend today.
The document stated that the security disappeared, conflicts and violence arose. People living in Armenia and Azerbaijan became refugees in the South Caucasus after the collapse of the Soviet Union in late 1980s.
"While all Azerbaijanis were forced out of Armenia, the Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh claimed the territory and were supported by Armenian troops who occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani regions," the resolution said. "As a result of bloody battles all Azerbaijanis were driven out of these regions comprising about 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory. About 25,000 people were killed in the fighting and 1 million lost their homes and became refugees."
According to the document, the United Nations Security Council passed four resolutions No. 822, 853, 874 and 884 during active fighting in 1993. All resolutions reaffirmed the inviolability of state borders, the inadmissibility of using force for the acquisition of territory and demanded the withdrawal of occupying forces. These resolutions were adopted in accordance with article 2 of the UN charter.
"On Jan. 25, 2005, the CE Parliamentary Assembly passed the resolution No 1416, urging the two countries to comply with the UN Security Council resolutions by refraining from any armed hostilities and withdrawing military forces from the occupied territories," the document said.
"On May 20, 2010 the European Parliament passed a resolution on a strategy for the South Caucasus by demanding to withdraw Armenian forces from Azerbaijan's occupied territories," the document said. "The precondition stated in these six resolutions has been ignored. The regions remain under occupation. According to the international law Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven surrounding regions are part of the Azerbaijani Republic.
The international community has condemned the attempted secession as illegitimate. The status quo is described as a frozen conflict and the OSCE Minsk Group has been mediating for 20 years. There are regular exchanges of fire across the front line. Servicemen and civilians are killed on both sides. A nine year old Azerbaijani boy was killed by sniper fire from the occupied area in March 2011. The efforts of the Minsk group have failed to change the status quo. Both sides increase military expenditure."
"While there is massive destruction in the occupied areas, no recovering work is being conducted," the document said. "The tension hampers economic and social progress. The Caspian Sea is a vital source of energy supplies, especially important to Europe trying to ensure energy security by diversifying its oil and gas sources."
"The outbreak of hostilities in the region threatens the energy supplies from Azerbaijan," the document said. "20 years is a long period for a conflict. The generations are deprived of the right to return home. There are obstacles for progress and prosperity. The international law has been violated. It is high time to renew and strengthen the strategy to resolve this conflict to restore the human rights of up to one million refugees, to fully realize the region's economic potential and reassert international law."
The authors of the resolution urge the two sides of the conflict to break the deadlock in negotiations peacefully and constructively, to change the status quo and to promote trust and cooperation between their peoples.
"We urge the UN, EU and CE to strengthen the attempts to fulfill the resolutions for peaceful settlement of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven adjacent regions in accordance with international law," the document said. "We urge the EU to replace France and play a direct role in the conflict settlement. The EU must create opportunities for political and economic cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan within the Eastern Partnership and EuroNest. We urge the UN Security Council to review the position and to show leadership in preserving international law.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France and the U.S. - are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.