Azernews.Az

A host of separatist movements in Europe pose a threat to the territorial integrity of countries and peace, says a resolution passed by the Council of Europe parliamentary assembly.

The resolution, which stresses the importance of national sovereignty and statehood of countries enshrined in international law, said PACE member states must refrain from recognizing or supporting the de-facto authorities and territories that have illegally broken away from countries.

It said international law upholds the right of ethnic minorities to self-determination, but this right "does not automatically provide for breaking away" from countries.

Armenia’s delegation at PACE sought numerous changes to the resolution concerning self-determination of nations and recognition of self-proclaimed territories, but the amendments were not supported during the voting.

Armenia and Azerbaijan, its neighbor in the South Caucasus region, face a long-standing conflict over Nagorno Karabakh. The two countries fought a brutal war in the early 1990s that displaced up to a million Azerbaijanis. About 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory, including the Nagorno Karabakh region, has been under the occupation of Armenian armed forces since a fragile ceasefire was signed in 1994. Peace talks, brokered by US, Russian and French mediators, have been largely fruitless so far.

Ethnic Armenian separatists in Nagorno Karabakh, backed by Armenia, declared so-called independence in 1991, which has not been recognized by the international community.