BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept.14

By Tamilla Mammadova – Trend:

The resettlement of Lebanese Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh is a serious violation of international law, a well-known Georgian expert on national security issues, Doctor of Political and Military Sciences, Professor Vakhtang Maisaya told Trend.

"Firstly, the factor of the occupation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan is already a violation of international law, territorial integrity and sovereignty of an independent country that is a member of the UN and one of the main actors of the international community. Secondly, any illegal actions to resettle representatives of one state to the occupied territories of another state are a serious violation of international law," the expert noted.

According to him, the Lebanese state, which itself at one time underwent an attempt at seizure and occupation, must take appropriate measures to stop such illegal acts.

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 districts.

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