First version posted on 11:28
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 11
Trend:
The support for Azerbaijan's territorial integrity was noted in a recent joint statement from the European Parliament, Trend reports citing the statement.
The statement was made by the Marina Kaljurand (Delegation to the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee, the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee and the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee), rapporteur on the European Parliament (EP) on Azerbaijan Zhelena Zovko, rapporteur on Armenia Traian Basescu.
This is the first ever joint document, adopted by the EP officials on illegal activities in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.
This statement was adopted in connection with the future construction of a road that will directly connect Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh (Azerbaijani region currently under occupation by Armenia), as part of the project that was announced in 2019.
According to the statement, the decision on building this road was made without the consent of the competent authorities of Azerbaijan, which is a violation of international law.
“... this can symbolically consolidate the illegal occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and its surrounding territories. Therefore, we consider this initiative reprehensible, because it does not contribute to the creation of conditions conducive to trust, peace and reconciliation,” the statement said.
The applicants reaffirm their continued support for the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and their 2009 Basic Principles.
“In order for this mediation to have a chance of success, we urge the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan to conscientiously take their obligations in negotiations on a peaceful settlement of the conflict within the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan,” the statement said.
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, 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 the withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding districts.