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Commercial activity on occupied Azerbaijani territories gives rise to criminal liability: European Commission

Politics Materials 25 November 2017 03:30 (UTC +04:00)
The Directorate General for Trade of the European Commission issued a warning that the commercial activities of European Union (EU) companies on the occupied territories of Azerbaijan give rise to liability
Commercial activity on occupied Azerbaijani territories gives rise to criminal liability: European Commission

Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.25

By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:

The Directorate General for Trade of the European Commission issued a warning that the commercial activities of European Union (EU) companies on the occupied territories of Azerbaijan give rise to liability, spokesperson of Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry Hikmet Hajiyev told Trend.

"According to Azerbaijani legislation, EU companies engaging in any commercial activity in Nagorno-Karabakh and/or the surrounding territories, whether directly or through business subsidiaries, risk civil and criminal penalties. It can result in criminal prosecution or other legal action being taken against individuals and businesses in Azerbaijan; it may also affect the ability to travel to Azerbaijan in the future,” said the European Commission.

The reference to Azerbaijani legislation in the text of the warning means recognition of Azerbaijan’s jurisdiction over the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding areas, he added.

Hajiyev said this warning of the European Commission is the first step towards fulfilling Azerbaijan’s legitimate demands to prevent illegal activities of individuals and legal entities of the EU in the occupied territories.

“Continued promotion of our principled position at all levels with the EU, including within the existing formats of dialogues, joint commissions with the EU member states on bilateral trade and economic cooperation, played an important role in achieving the initial result. Continuation of this tendency does not exclude the implementation of next and more effective measures by EU in the future,” said Hajiyev.

He pointed out that when the European Union takes political decisions related to Azerbaijan in the context of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, the opinion of the office of the EU Special Representative (EUSR) for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia is taken as a basis.

EUSR gives a report and receives recommendations from the Political and Security Committee (ambassadors of EU member states), which means that regardless of where the warning is published, all EU member states must unequivocally comply with it, added Hajiyev.

Using the abovementioned warning during the discussions in European institutions where Azerbaijan is a member state, can help in promoting the country’s principled position, he said.

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