Azerbaijan Urges EU To End Illegal Trading Practices Of Armenia In Occupied Territories

Baku, Azerbaijan, July 22



By Seba Agayeva - Trend:



Azerbaijan urged the EU to end illegal trading practices of Armenia in occupied territories.



"It came to our attention that goods produced by Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh region and other occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan have been allowed to enter the EU market under various fraudulent labels in contradiction to the rules of origin and the commitments undertaken by Armenia in the World Trade Organization agreements", Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said at fifth meeting of the foreign ministers of member countries of the EU "Eastern Partnership" in Brussels.



He also added that it is a clear case of violation by Armenia of its WTO obligations.



Azerbaijani FM called upon European partners to undertake all measures to prevent such distortive steps by the Armenian side.



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 U.S. are currently holding peace negotiations.



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