FRENCH ENVOY TERMS BLACKLISTED PERSONS' VIOLATIONS OF AZERBAIJAN'S INTEGRITY AS UNINTENTIONAL
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Sept 26 2013
26 September 2013, 12:25 (GMT+05:00)
By Sara Rajabova
French Ambassador to Azerbaijan Pascal Monnier has commented on the
inclusion of French citizens into the 'black list' released by Baku
over illegal visits to the Armenian-occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
According to Monnier, it would be better if people who are on the
'black list' of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry came to Azerbaijan,
saw the people, realized the realities of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
and understood that this is a very significant and sensitive issue
for the country's population. In that case, those persons would have
not a one-sided, but a balanced opinion, the ambassador said.
"I know that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a very sensitive issue
for Azerbaijan," Monnier said.
He said France recognizes Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial
integrity.
"Some politicians are invited to Armenia from where they are taken
to Nagorno-Karabakh," Monnier said, noting that those actions were
taken unintentionally.
Unauthorized visits to Nagorno-Karabakh and other regions of Azerbaijan
occupied by Armenia are deemed illegal and individuals paying such
visits are "blacklisted" by the Foreign Ministry. Earlier, the ministry
released a list of 331 people declared persona non grata over illegal
visits to the Armenian-occupied territories.
Azerbaijan has repeatedly warned foreign officials and diplomats over
visits to its territories occupied by Armenia, saying this contradicts
international law. The Foreign Ministry has stated that such visits,
paid without prior notification of the relevant authorities of
Azerbaijan, are illegal and damaging to the settlement process on
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
A precarious cease-fire has been in place between Azerbaijan and
Armenia since a lengthy war in the early 1990s that displaced over
a million Azerbaijanis. Armenian armed forces have occupied over
20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian
withdrawal from the Azerbaijani territory, but they have not been
enforced to this day.
http://www.azernews.az/azerbaijan/59980.html
From: A. Papazian
AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Sept 26 2013
26 September 2013, 12:25 (GMT+05:00)
By Sara Rajabova
French Ambassador to Azerbaijan Pascal Monnier has commented on the
inclusion of French citizens into the 'black list' released by Baku
over illegal visits to the Armenian-occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
According to Monnier, it would be better if people who are on the
'black list' of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry came to Azerbaijan,
saw the people, realized the realities of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
and understood that this is a very significant and sensitive issue
for the country's population. In that case, those persons would have
not a one-sided, but a balanced opinion, the ambassador said.
"I know that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a very sensitive issue
for Azerbaijan," Monnier said.
He said France recognizes Azerbaijan's sovereignty and territorial
integrity.
"Some politicians are invited to Armenia from where they are taken
to Nagorno-Karabakh," Monnier said, noting that those actions were
taken unintentionally.
Unauthorized visits to Nagorno-Karabakh and other regions of Azerbaijan
occupied by Armenia are deemed illegal and individuals paying such
visits are "blacklisted" by the Foreign Ministry. Earlier, the ministry
released a list of 331 people declared persona non grata over illegal
visits to the Armenian-occupied territories.
Azerbaijan has repeatedly warned foreign officials and diplomats over
visits to its territories occupied by Armenia, saying this contradicts
international law. The Foreign Ministry has stated that such visits,
paid without prior notification of the relevant authorities of
Azerbaijan, are illegal and damaging to the settlement process on
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
A precarious cease-fire has been in place between Azerbaijan and
Armenia since a lengthy war in the early 1990s that displaced over
a million Azerbaijanis. Armenian armed forces have occupied over
20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenian
withdrawal from the Azerbaijani territory, but they have not been
enforced to this day.
http://www.azernews.az/azerbaijan/59980.html
From: A. Papazian