Baku, Azerbaijan, April 16
Trend:
The visits by representatives of the illegal regime created in Azerbaijan’s occupied territories to the US and France hinder the process of negotiations on the settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, propagandize separatism and occupation.
The remarks were made by OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA) Vice-President Azay Guliyev during the Bureau Meeting of the organization in Copenhagen.
He expressed strong protest against the illegal visits by representatives of the illegal regime created in Azerbaijan’s occupied lands to the US and France.
“According to the confirmed information, the representatives of the illegal regime created in Azerbaijan’s occupied lands, in Nagorno-Karabakh, have recently paid illegal visits to the US and France. The separatists have held meetings in the US Congress, French Senate and the National Assembly,” said Guliyev.
The fact that such visits by illegal regime representatives are gaining a systematic nature is contrary to the development of Azerbaijan’s friendly relations and cooperation with the US and France and most importantly, this is incompatible with the mandate of these countries as OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, he added.
“Organization of such visits hinders the negotiations on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and propagandizes separatism and occupation.”
OSCE PA vice-president pointed out that separatists should face the similar attitude in accordance with the basic principles of the international law and the rule of law.
“In this regard, any manifestation of double standards is unacceptable. The relevant authorities of France and the US should stop the process of issuing visas to illegal regime agents and the process of organizing their visits to these countries,” he said.
“I call on French and US governments to take relevant measures taking into account their role as the mediators and co-chairs in the OSCE Minsk Group which is of great importance in the negotiation process and in the settlement of the conflict,” he added.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.