European Parliament condemns Armenia's killing of Azerbaijani civilians

By Azernews

By Rashid Shirinov

Armenian armed forces attack on Azerbaijan's Alkhanli village became a next bloody page in the history of the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict. The recent attack killed two more Azerbaijani civilians, including a toddler.

Brutal act immediately became a focus of international community, while several international organizations, officials and political experts strongly condemned the recent Armenian provocation. European Parliament and its members were among those who denounced the killing of civilians.

Norica Nicolai, European Parliament rapporteur for Azerbaijan and Ryszard Czarnecki, Vice-president of the European Parliament issued a joint statement on July and voiced support for Azerbaijan regarding the Armenian provocation.

"We strongly condemn the murders of Allahverdiyeva Sahiba and Guliyeva Zahra on the evening of July 4 by Armenian armed forces. The indiscriminate killing of civilians, women and children is unacceptable in any circumstances and must be stopped immediately!” they noted.

They further called for a cessation of all military operation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

“Violence and the escalation of aggressive action can only lead to further conflict and loss of life of innocents. Such thoughtless provocations and destruction is dangerous for the stability of the entire region of the South Caucasus,” the message reads.

“There is no justification for such a grave, heinous crime and we call for an immediate investigation into the acts and a full, criminal investigation launched to identify and prosecute the culprits,” Nicolai and Czarnecki stressed in the statement.

This is not the first hideous action of Armenia against Azerbaijani civilians living near the contact line. Despite signing the ceasefire in 1994, Armenians keep targeting Azerbaijani villages. Moreover, the aggressor deliberately drops toys with an explosive device into the rivers flowing to Azerbaijani villages in order to kill Azerbaijani children in this way.

Another representative of the European Parliament, its Member from Slovenia Ivo Vajgl also condemned the Armenian provocation in Alikhanli village.

He told Trend that armed incidents with civilian losses indicate that the problem of occupied Nagorno-Karabakh represents a most serious threat for the stability of the Caucasus region.

“This frozen conflict could not be solved by military means, but with negotiations based upon the rules of the international law,” Vajgl said. “Armenia has to behave accordingly and EU has to assist both countries in search for a lasting and comprehensive solution.”

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.

Up to now, Armenia has not implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions. Despite a ceasefire agreement achieved between the sides, and despite the calls of international community to follow the armistice, Armenia continues its destructive actions on the frontline.

French politician and Member of the European Parliament Rachida Dati told Trend that the UN Security Council has to hold an emergency meeting and condemn the Armenian attack.

“This attack demonstrates once again that Armenia violates international law,” she said.

She noted that it is imperative and urgent that the international community, in particular the states co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group, react as soon as possible to impose to Armenia the respect of the UN Security Council resolutions.

Dati also noted that it is necessary to use all the capacities of the OSCE Minsk Group. “We must force Armenia to return to the negotiation table so that this conflict ceases,” she said.

The OSCE Minsk Group, the activities of which have become known as the Minsk Process, is co-chaired by France, the Russian Federation, and the United States. Although the Minsk Group deals with the issue for over two decades, its activities have brought no breakthrough results so far. Armenia keeps shying away from substantive negotiations with Azerbaijan.