Azerbaijan has called on foreign tourists to refrain from traveling to the country’s occupied territories.
"Tourists visiting to Nagorno Karabakh should know that their actions contradict international law," Azerbaijani Culture and Tourism Minister Abulfaz Garayev told journalists.
He made the statement while commenting on the recent announcement of Armenian tour companies that they offer tours to Nagorno Karabakh.
He said Nagorno Karabakh is occupied by Armenia and visiting the occupied areas is illegal.
"The World Tourism Organization supports Azerbaijan's position and condemns tourists visiting the occupied territories," Garayev said.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.| < Prev | Next > |
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