Armenian FM: latest hostilities in Karabakh may become new challenge to international humanitarian law
YEREVAN, April 8. /ARKA/. Speaking at a gathering of foreign ministers of several former Soviet republics, which make the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) in Moscow today, Armenian foreign minister Edward Nalbandian said the latest violence in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone may become a new challenge to international humanitarian law.
He said throughout its existence CIS has taken a string of political, economic, humanitarian and other commitments, however, in some instances it failed to live up to expectations. According to him, in many fundamental issues, including those related to security, CIS has proved unable to prevent negative phenomena, and one of the clearest manifestations of this is the Karabakh issue.
The Armenian foreign ministry quoted Nalbandian as saying that the hostilities on the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani forces not only led to casualties and worsening of the tension, that they are not only fraught with long-term destabilization, but also can become a new challenge to the international law, including humanitarian law, to the provisions of the UN Charter and other fundamental documents, and also to the CIS Charter, which also calls for peaceful resolution of disputes and conflicts.
According to Armenian foreign minister, the violence launched by Azerbaijan is the consequence of the fact that not all in the CIS share this approach. According to him, Azerbaijan’s large-scale offensive against Karabakh is a blatant violation of the armistice agreement signed by that country in 1994 and another agreement on the strengthening of the cease-fire signed in 1995.
Nalbandian said it was evident that from the first hours of the offensive Azerbaijani attacks deliberately targeted civilian objects, killing civilians, including children and the elderly.
Nalbandian said Azerbaijan has ignored all the calls of the international community to end the conflict exclusively by peaceful means. He said Armenia has repeatedly drawn the attention of the international community to Azerbaijan’s military rhetoric warning of its dangers.
Nalbandian also pointed to the importance of preventing a repetition of what happened in future and the refusal of attempts to resolve the conflict by military means.-0-
He said throughout its existence CIS has taken a string of political, economic, humanitarian and other commitments, however, in some instances it failed to live up to expectations. According to him, in many fundamental issues, including those related to security, CIS has proved unable to prevent negative phenomena, and one of the clearest manifestations of this is the Karabakh issue.
The Armenian foreign ministry quoted Nalbandian as saying that the hostilities on the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijani forces not only led to casualties and worsening of the tension, that they are not only fraught with long-term destabilization, but also can become a new challenge to the international law, including humanitarian law, to the provisions of the UN Charter and other fundamental documents, and also to the CIS Charter, which also calls for peaceful resolution of disputes and conflicts.
According to Armenian foreign minister, the violence launched by Azerbaijan is the consequence of the fact that not all in the CIS share this approach. According to him, Azerbaijan’s large-scale offensive against Karabakh is a blatant violation of the armistice agreement signed by that country in 1994 and another agreement on the strengthening of the cease-fire signed in 1995.
Nalbandian said it was evident that from the first hours of the offensive Azerbaijani attacks deliberately targeted civilian objects, killing civilians, including children and the elderly.
Nalbandian said Azerbaijan has ignored all the calls of the international community to end the conflict exclusively by peaceful means. He said Armenia has repeatedly drawn the attention of the international community to Azerbaijan’s military rhetoric warning of its dangers.
Nalbandian also pointed to the importance of preventing a repetition of what happened in future and the refusal of attempts to resolve the conflict by military means.-0-