European Parliament condemns Armenia's occupation of Azerbaijan

The European Parliament adopted the first joint statement on Armenia's illegal activities in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

The statement was made by Marina Kaljurand (Delegation to the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Partnership Committee, the EU-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Cooperation Committee and the EU-Georgia Parliamentary Association Committee), rapporteur on the European Parliament (EP) on Azerbaijan Zhelena Zovko, as well as rapporteur on Armenia Traian Basescu.

"Announced last year, the construction of a third highway connecting Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh will kick off soon. This new road infrastructure will connect Kapan, in Armenia, with Hadrut, in Nagorno- Karabakh, passing through the districts of Qubadli and Jabrayil, which are also occupied," the documents reads.

"As a matter of principle, we support projects that foster regional cooperation, connectivity and people-to-people contacts in the Eastern Neighbourhood. That said, the decision to build this highway has been taken without the consent of the competent authorities of Azerbaijan –in violation of international law. In addition, it could symbolically entrench the illegal occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and of its surrounding districts," the statement says.

"Therefore, we very much deplore this initiative as it does not help to create conditions conducive to trust, peace and reconciliation. We reiterate our unwavering support to the efforts of the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and their 2009 Basic Principles," Zovko, Kaljurand and Basescu said.

"In order for this mediation to have a chance of success, we urge the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan to conscientiously take their obligations in negotiations on a peaceful settlement of the conflict within the internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan," the statement concluded.