Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry welcomes decision of Court of Lyon [UPDATE]

By Trend

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry welcomes the decision of the administrative Court of Lyon city of France dated Sept. 19, 2019, on abolition of the illegal “treaties” between the city of Decines-Charpieu of France and one of the administrative areas in the occupied Khojavend region of Azerbaijan, as well as the Saint-Etienne city of France and the occupied Shusha city of Azerbaijan, signed on September 25, 2017 and October 21, 2018, respectively, Trend reports on September 27 referring to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

“We remind that these illegal 'treaties' were signed contrary to the provisions of the national legislation of Azerbaijan and France, especially the Article 73 of the Constitution of France, the provisions of the 'General Code of Territorial Unites' and circular letter signed by the Ministers of Internal Affairs and Ministers Foreign Affairs of Europe of May 24, 2018,” the Azerbaijani ministry said.

“So far, nine illegal 'treaties' signed between the cities of France and the so-called 'local authorities' created by the illegal regime in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan have been abolished,” reads the report. “The Azerbaijani side hopes that the other illegal documents still in force will be annulled soon by the courts of France.”

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding regions.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding regions.