MP: Armenia's constitution still contains clauses on territorial claims to Azerbaijan

Member of the Azerbaijani delegation to PACE Nigar Arpadarai has said Armenia's constitution still contains clauses on territorial claims to Azerbaijan.

She made the statement during the discussion of the agenda of the fourth summit of the heads of state and government of the Council of Europe, Azertag reports.

"Azerbaijan is still suffering from the consequences of the occupation of its territory and the Armenian aggression. The Constitution of Armenia and the Declaration of Independence still contain provisions reflecting territorial claims to Azerbaijan. It's amazing, but it's true," Arpadarai said.

The MP noted that the need for reforms in the Council of Europe is long overdue, the world has changed significantly, and this organisation must also change.

"If we want to see a secure Europe, we must more clearly express our commitment to the principles of international law, such as territorial integrity. We must create a real mechanism to combat militarised and aggressive separatism, which is often used in Europe as a pretext for conflicts and wars. The mechanism of sanctions against persons supporting separatism should provide for the obligation of all members to counteract such cases in other countries as well. This is important in the issue of Ukraine, but this position is applicable to all member states of the Council of Europe. Separatism and territorial claims are destroying the foundations of unity on the European continent like cancer," she said.

Arpadarai said that during the first summit of the Council of Europe in 1993, the heads of state entrusted the Council of Europe with a new mission: to create a pan-European space in which democracy, human rights and the rule of law will flourish for the benefit of all Europeans. Despite the fact that 30 years have passed, unfortunately, we are not even close to this noble goal.