MEP: Occupied areas integral part of Azerbaijan

Asked by the European Azerbaijan Society about the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Vasilica Viorica Dancila MEP stated the following: “It is important to keep in mind that the Security Council Resolutions 822, 853, 874, and 884 were all passed in 1993. Since two decades Armenia occupies Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven adjacent regions in violation of international law. This should end.”

Member of the European Parliament also added: “The refugees have the right for a secure and safe home return to the occupied areas, which are an integral part of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan is a part of the European Neighborhood Policy, and the European Union (EU) has a great interest in shaping a peaceful relationship with partner countries. Hence the resolution of the conflict over the Nagorno-Karabakh is very important from a European perspective.

“The EU has always pointed out that the conflict needed to be resolved urgently. Take the so-called parliamentary elections in Nagorno-Karabakh in May 2010 or the presidential elections in July 2012 here as an example. The European Union’s High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, has made it clear that those elections were not valid. The area of the Nagorno-Karabakh is not recognized by international law and such elections have additionally strengthened the status quo of the occupation. This cannot be in the interest of the European Union.

“The EU has already a special representative to the Southern Caucasus, who should together with the OSCE and the Minsk Group contribute to the achievement of a peaceful settlement of the conflict in the region, especially for the question of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the return of the inner refugees. Of importance is that he is networked with other international actors in the region and motivates the resumption of peace negotiations.”


/AzerTAg/