Azerbaijan must withdraw from territory of Armenia: PACE lawmaker calls for negotiating peace agreement

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, ARMENPRESS. French delegate at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Jacques Le Nay delivered remarks at the PACE plenary session, stating that the territorial integrity of Armenia must be preserved and Azerbaijan must withdraw from the territory of Armenia.

“In the face of this situation, which could very quickly lead to a new war, it is necessary to recall a number of fundamental points. First of all, the territorial integrity of Armenia must be preserved and Azerbaijan must withdraw from the territory of Armenia in accordance with the ceasefire agreement of 10 November 2020”, he said during the PACE current affairs debate on military hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan, including strikes against settlements and civilian infrastructures.

He added that as member states of the Council of Europe, both sides must respect the rights of prisoners of war and commit themselves not to organize abductions. “However, the press reports videos circulating on social networks showing Armenians being abducted and tortured by Azeri soldiers. Azerbaijan must investigate these incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Finally, I call on both states to quickly negotiate a peace agreement that must be respected. To this end, the Council of Europe must fully play its role as a pan-European platform for discussion and contribute through political dialogue to an easing of tensions and respect for the fundamental rights of the citizens of both States.

The international community cannot remain indifferent to the situation in this region. The European Union and the United States, but also Russia and Turkey, must work together to resolve this conflict. However, it will not be easy to mobilize the international community on this issue given the war in Ukraine”, Jacques Le Nay stated.