Croatia calls on Karabakh conflict parties to refrain from any actions hindering peaceful resolution
By Rashid Shirinov
Croatia calls on the parties to the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to refrain from any actions that may hinder a peaceful settlement of the conflict, Marija Pejcinovic Buric, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, said on June 25.
She was responding to a question of the Azerbaijani MP Ganira Pashayeva at the summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg, France.
“The Armenian side destroyed many historical and cultural monuments in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. Along with Azerbaijan, these monuments are also part of the world culture. As the Committee of Ministers, what can you do to prevent the new leadership of Armenia from continuing these heinous crimes committed by the Sargsyan regime?” Pashayeva asked.
“I call on both sides to refrain from any actions that may hinder a peaceful settlement of the conflict,” Buric replied.
The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region 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. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations.
Until now, Armenia controls fifth part of Azerbaijan’s territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding regions.
Azerbaijan has long ago stated it is ready to settle the conflict through direct negotiations with Armenia with mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. However, the Armenian side is constantly trying to make up reasons to avoid a constructive dialogue and preserve the unacceptable status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh.
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Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov
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