Azerbaijani IDP's return to home should be priority for international community - British MP

IDP's return home should be a priority for the international community, Gerry Sutcliffe, UK Labour Party MP said replying to a survey from the European Azerbaijan Society on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

"We have now reached the 20th Anniversary of the occupation of Agdam, Fizuli, Jabrail and Zangilan. It is clear that little progress has been made in resolving this conflict," Gerry Sutcliffe said.

According to the MP, more effort should be made to reach a solution in line with international law on territorial integrity and UNSCR Resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884.

"There are close to one million displaced Azerbaijanis. I have met and seen them for myself on my visit to the country. Allowing them to return home should be a priority for the international community," Sutcliffe said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S. are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.


/Trend/