(MENAFN- AzerNews) By Rashid Shirinov
The future of the EU's Eastern Partnership program depends on the restoration of peace and stability in the conflict regions, said Khalaf Khalafov, Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister.
He made the remarks at the conference on involving parliaments of the Eastern Partnership countries in promoting gender equality and women's health as part of the Sustainable Development Goals, which was held with participation of the Euronest PA Committee on Social Affairs, Education, Culture and Civil Societyin Baku on September22.
The deputy foreign minister noted that one-fifth of Azerbaijan'sterritories are occupied by another member state of the EU's Eastern Partnership program.
Khalafov said that the policy of aggression and ethnic cleansing of Armenia led to serious consequences:'They plunder our wealth, destroy mosques, monuments of history and culture in the occupied Azerbaijani lands.
Armenia broke out a lengthy war against Azerbaijan by laying territorial claims on its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and over 1 million were displaced as a result of the large-scale hostilities.
Since the beginning of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and occupation of Azerbaijani territories, the Armenian aggressors destroyed 1,200 historical and architectural monuments, looted 27 museums, over 100,000 items were exported to Armenia. In addition, the Armenian occupiers destroyed 152 religious monuments and 62 mosques, 4.6 million books in 927 libraries, including the Holy Quran and rare Islamic manuscripts.
The official noted that the EU must demonstrate a decisive attitude towards Armenia and force it to refrain from such a policy.
Khalafov further added that the settlement of the conflictwill contribute to the social progress and economic development of the region.
'Azerbaijan is interested in early settlement of the conflict and hopes that the international community will continue to support our position, he said.
Azerbaijan has long ago stated it is ready to settle the conflict through direct negotiations with Armenia with mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. However, the Armenian side is constantly trying to make up reasons to avoid a constructive dialogue and preserve the unacceptable status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Unfortunately, Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts, and international community has not yet exerted pressure on the occupier country in this regard.
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