European Parliament makes statement on Armenia’s provocation

By Trend

?hair of the Delegation to the Parliamentary Partnership Committees of the EU and the countries of the South Caucasus, MEP Marina Kaljurand has made a statement in connection with the recent clashes on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, Trend reports on July 16.

"We are greatly concerned about the renewed escalation of violence in the past days between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which has yet again led to the death of military personnel and a civilian in the Tovuz region,” Kaljurand added.

“We express our deep condolences to the families of the victims, and call for an immediate halt to these military confrontations,” chair of the delegation added.

“As repeatedly stated by the European Parliament, we firmly believe that the conflict does not have a military solution,” the diplomat said. “Instead, it needs a settlement in accordance with international law on the basis of the purposes and principles enshrined in the UN Charter and in the OSCE Helsinki Final Act.”

“We reiterate our unwavering support to the efforts of the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and the 2009 Basic Principles,” Kaljurand said.

“We call on the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan to immediately stop any armed confrontations and respect the ceasefire, to refrain from actions and rhetoric fuelling tensions, to prepare their populations for peace, to step up their meaningful commitment, in good faith, to the negotiation process under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, and to relaunch their bilateral communication in order to defuse tensions and prevent further escalation,” reads the statement.

Earlier, Co-chair of the EU-Azerbaijan Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Committee, MP Javanshir Feyziev appealed to the authorized representatives of the European Parliament for the South Caucasus in connection with the Armenian provocation.

The appeal included the detailed information about the act of aggression and the provocation committed by Armenia on the border with Azerbaijan. The document stressed that the Armenian political leadership is fully responsible for the consequences of these actions.

Starting from noon on July 12, units of the armed forces of Armenia, grossly violating the ceasefire in the direction of Azerbaijan’s Tovuz district along the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border, opened artillery fire at Azerbaijani positions.

Azerbaijan's armed response forced the Armenian army to retreat suffering losses.

Azerbaijani personnel, sergeant of military service Vugar Sadigov and corporal Elshad Mammadov, died while repelling the attack of the Armenian armed forces.

Despite the efforts of the Azerbaijani doctors, severely wounded serviceman of the Azerbaijani army Khayyam Dashdemirov also died.

The tension remained in Tovuz district on the Azerbaijan-Armenia state border on July 12 night.

During the night battles, by using artillery, mortars and tanks, the Azerbaijani armed forces destroyed a stronghold, bombshells, vehicles and servicemen on the territory of the Armenia’s military unit.

Azerbaijani serviceman, senior lieutenant Rashad Mahmudov was killed during the battles.

The battles continued on the night of July 13. Major General Polad Hashimov, Colonel Ilgar Mirzoyev, Major Namig Ahmadov, Major Anar Novruzov, Ensign Ilgar Zeynalli, Ensign Yashar Babayev and soldier Elchin Mustafazade became martyrs during the battles.