Azerbaijan, Baku, Aug. 12 / Trend /
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine recommends its citizens to refrain from illegal visits to Nagorno-Karabakh.
"The Foreign Ministry draws attention of Ukrainian citizens to the need to respect the laws of the countries they plan to visit," deputy director of the Department of Information Policy of the Foreign Ministry Elena Vashenko told the Interfax-Ukraine agency, commenting on a ban on entry of 335 citizens to Azerbaijan, including eight Ukrainians.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has earlier made recommendations through its official website to citizens planning to travel abroad. In particular, the Ukrainians are recommended to abide by laws of both Ukraine and the country of destination, when visiting other countries.
"While preparing for a trip abroad, citizens need to find out possible warnings of the Foreign Ministry with regards to visiting a country. Grave concern is caused by the situation, when despite the recommendation not to travel to certain countries due to difficult security situation and possible threats to life and health ... the facts of travel of our citizens to crisis areas of the world are observed," according to a statement posted on the website of Ukrainian Foreign Ministry.
Also, the statement calls on the citizens abroad to comply with the laws of the host country.
Alongside, a recommendation to citizens was posted on the official website of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry in March 2011 about visiting the Nagorno-Karabakh region. "Ukraine's Foreign Ministry recommends the citizens to refrain from visiting the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan. During the stay in Azerbaijan, please abide by general rules of personal safety, the country's legislation and generally accepted norms of behavior abroad," according to the recommendation.
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.