The Armenian Armed Forces must withdraw from Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions of Azerbaijan, said French MP Jean-Marie Bockel, issuing a statement condemning the military provocation by the Armenian side on the contact line of troops on the night of April 1 to 2.
Bockel said that Armenia illegally has occupied the Nagorno-Karabakh region and expressed his condolences in connection with the human losses, Trend reports with reference to the French-based Association of Friends of Azerbaijan.
"I'm saddened by the deaths of Azerbaijani soldiers and civilians as a result of this provocation. The lack of attention from the OSCE Minsk Group to resolve the conflict peacefully within the territorial integrity of countries and the preservation of the unacceptable status quo for many years have caused the tragic clashes recently," Bockel stressed.
According to him, Armenia should respect international law, especially the UN Security Council’s four resolutions, according to which the Armenian Armed Forces must withdraw from illegally occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven adjacent districts of Azerbaijan.
Recall, on the night of April 2 all frontier positions of Azerbaijan were exposed to heavy fire from large-caliber weapons, mortars, grenade launchers and guns. In addition, Azerbaijani settlements near the front line, densely populated by civilians, were shelled.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20% of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US, are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
