FM: European Parliament membership gives no right to violate laws
By Trend
Membership in the European Parliament does not give anyone the right to violate laws of another country, rules and principles of international law, and does not give anyone immunity, said Hikmat Hajiyev, the spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.
“Such persons, members of the European Parliament, as a citizen of Luxembourg Frank Engel, a citizen of the Republic of Cyprus Eleni Theocharous and a citizen of the Czech Republic Jaromir Stetina, call for violation of Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized integrity and are constantly working for these purposes, propagandizing the illegal regime created by Armenia as a result of aggression and occupation of Azerbaijan’s lands,” he said.
Prosecutor General's Office of Azerbaijan put three members of the European Parliament - Frank Engel, Eleni Theocharous and Jaromir Stetina - on the international wanted list. They are suspected in repeated crossing of the state border of Azerbaijan beyond checkpoints in order to promote the unrecognized regime called "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic" at the international level.
"Despite the fact that all the international community, including the EU, recognizes the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, these persons, supporting Armenia and the fictional regime, are trying to nullify the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs on the peaceful settlement of the [Nagorno-Karabakh] conflict.”
“They are trying to deliberately aggravate the situation in the region and carry out lobbying activities in favor of Armenia. Abusing the membership in the European Parliament, they undertake these illegal actions which contradict the universal values that form the basis of the EU and the European Parliament," the statement said.
“These persons’ attempts to hide behind "democracy" and membership in the European Parliament, made after a criminal case was initiated against them, do not correspond to any moral, ethical and legal norms,” Hajiyev said.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry and diplomatic missions pay special attention to the illegal activity in the occupied areas of Azerbaijan. The work is constantly carried out to prevent such illegal actions.
Azerbaijan and Armenia for over two decades have been locked in conflict, which emerged over Armenian territorial claims. Since the 1990s war, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian withdrawal, but they have not been enforced to this day.
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