Journal of Turkish Weekly/Zaman – Turkey
Jan 26 2005
Council of Europe: ‘Armenia is an Occupier in Karabagh’
The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) has issued
Armenia a warning regarding its occupation of the Azerbaijani
territory of Karabag (Karabakh).
A report on High Karabakh prepared by British parliamentarian David
Atkinson and the related decision draft were approved during PACE’s
General Council meetings yesterday (January 25).
The report stressed that occupation of one member country’s territory
by another member country is viewed as a serious violation of their
agreements with the Council of Europe.
PACE has called upon Azerbaijan and Armenia to follow a path toward
reconciliation. The decision asserts that PACE supports the Minsk
Process for a peaceful solution in Karabakh and the right of return
for those who were forced to leave their homeland. The Council also
recommended that the parties apply to the International Court of
Justice in the event that the Minsk process fails and that an action
plan be established to develop confidence between the two parties.
Armenian forces occupied about 20 percent Azerbaijani territories,
and 1 million Azerbaijani became refugees since than. Apart from the
Karabakh region Armenia refuse to withdraw its forces from
Azerbaijani provinces.