MFA:French journalist visited occupied territories respecting Azerbaijani laws

By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

Independent French journalist Roman Mielcarek has visited the Armenian-occupied Azerbaijani territories, observing the laws of Azerbaijan, Foreign Ministry’s Spokesman Hikmat Hajiyev said on April 7.

The journalist asked the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan for accreditation and permission to visit the occupied territories for journalistic activities.

In his letter, Mielcarek noted that he respects the territorial integrity, sovereignty and laws of Azerbaijan, and guaranteed that he won’t illegally visit the occupied territories in the future.

Given the journalist’s appeal, his name wasn’t included in the “list of undesirable persons” of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

“During March 3-7, the French journalist visited Azerbaijan, the frontline zone, met with refugees and internally displaced persons, received information about the position of the Azerbaijani side, and on March 19-20 he visited the occupied territories,” Hajiyev said.

Unauthorized visits to Nagorno-Karabakh and other regions of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia are considered illegal, and any individuals paying such visits are included in the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry's "black list".

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions pay special attention to the illegal activity in the occupied areas of Azerbaijan. Baku has repeatedly warned foreign officials and diplomats of illegality of visits to its territories that are occupied by Armenia, calling them contradictory to international law. The work is constantly carried out to prevent such illegal actions. 

Armenia broke out a lengthy war against Azerbaijan laying territorial claims on its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.

Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts.