Azernews.Az

By Sabina Idayatova

Germany supports the four resolutions of the UN related to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, the German MP (CDU/CSU), member of the Foreign Affairs Committee Hartwig Fischer said when answering questions on Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) reported.

Fischer said that the occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenia violates international law as was stated on multiple occasions by the UN Security Council.

"The proclamation of the 'Republic Nagorno-Karabakh' was also never accepted by the International Community. Every State has the right of Territorial Integrity. Twenty percent of the Azerbaijani territory has been occupied by Armenian military forces though. The people who have been driven out of those territories or had to flee during the military confrontations have a right to return to their homeland," Fischer said.

He noted that the solution of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia has to be seen in the light of the regional context.

"If the cease-fire between the countries does not turn into real peace, the entire security and stability of the South Caucasus are under threat. The highest priority lies in the implementation of the resolutions of the UN Security Council. Therefore Armenia has to do the first step and has to withdraw from the occupied territories," Fischer said.

He went on to say that Germany will continue to call for the conflict parties to come together at the negotiation table again.

According to Fischer, recently, the conflict was aggravated by the opening of the Khojaly airport for international air traffic.

"Armenia tries to support its claim on Nagorno-Karabakh by these actions which have rightfully been condemned as a threat to the peace process by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe," Fischer said.

Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict for over two decades. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against the neighboring country. Since a lengthy war between the two South Caucasus countries that displaced over a million Azerbaijanis and ended with the signing of a precarious cease-fire in 1994, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on a pullout from the occupied territories.

Peace talks brokered by OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs representing the United States, Russia and France have been largely fruitless so far.

The negotiations are underway on the basis of the peace outline dubbed the Madrid Principles, also known as Basic Principles. The document envisions a return of the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani control; determining the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh; a corridor linking Armenia to the region; and the right of all internally displaced persons to return home.