OIC condemns so-called election in occupied Nagorno-Karabakh

The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Iyad Ameen Madani condemned information on holding of the so-called election in the occupied Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh, saying that they are illegal and violate UN resolutions, Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported April 23.

In addition, the OIC Secretary General called on the international community to “condemn this process and recognize it as illegitimate,” the message posted on the organization’s website said.

Ameen Madani reaffirmed the constant principled position of the OIC on supporting the efforts of Azerbaijan for the peaceful settlement of the territorial conflict with Armenia within the framework of the relevant international resolutions and on the basis of respect for the principles of territorial integrity of states and inviolability of internationally recognized borders.

Earlier, the Azerbaijani foreign ministry called the ‘parliamentary election’ planned to be held by the separatist regime of Nagorno-Karabakh on May 3 as illegal.

A number of international organizations and countries also condemned holding the so-called parliamentary election in Nagorno-Karabakh.

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, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.

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

Edited by CN

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