BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept. 28
Trend:
The shelling of Azerbaijani settlements by the Armenian armed forces is a violation of the Geneva Conventions, member of the Italian Senate Permanent Committee on Foreign Affairs, member of the ruling Five Star Movement (M5S) party, Senator Gianluca Ferrara, told the Italian media, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Embassy in Italy.
The Italian senator expressed concern about the escalation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, noting the need to resume negotiations to prevent further deterioration of the situation in the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia.
Gianluca Ferrara noted that the settlement of the conflict should include full observance of the principles of the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and the inviolability of the country's internationally recognized state borders under the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The senator expressed hope that the EU will be able to use diplomatic channels to help end the clashes.
Such Italian media as Il Tempo, Agenzia Nova, Politicamente Corretto, Adnkronos, Fortune Italia, Maxim Italia, Notize Yahoo, Libero Quotidiano, and TW News have also disseminated the statement of the Italian senator.
Rossana Boldi, Chairperson of the Italian-Azerbaijani Friendship Association in the Italian Parliament, in an interview with the Agenzia Nova news agency, expressed deep concern over the escalation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.
Boldi also expressed the hope that Italy, as a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, will strengthen its efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict peacefully and through negotiations based on respect for the principles of territorial integrity and inviolability of internationally recognized borders, as well as the UN Security Council resolutions of 1993.
The Armenian armed forces committed a large-scale provocation, subjecting the positions of the Azerbaijani army to intensive shelling from large-caliber weapons, mortars, and artillery installations of various calibers in the front-line zone on Sept. 27 at 06:00 (GMT+4).
The command of the Azerbaijani Army decided to launch a counter-offensive operation of Azerbaijani troops along the entire front to suppress the combat activity of the Armenian armed forces and ensure the safety of the civilian population.
Ashagi Abdurrahmanli, Garakhanbeyli, Garvend, Kend Horadiz, Yukhari Abdulrahmanli villages of Fizuli district, Boyuk Marjanli, and Nuzgar villages of Jabrayil district were liberated.
Moreover, the positions of the Armenian armed forces were destroyed in the direction of the Agdere district and Murovdag, important heights were taken under control.
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.