Italian Deputy FM denounces European Parliament's anti-Azerbaijani resolution as ‘inaccurate’

Italy's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Edmondo Cirielli criticized the European Parliament's resolution against Azerbaijan, describing it as rife with legal and historical inaccuracies.

Cirielli, who is also the National Coordinator of Fratelli d’Italia, abstained from voting on the resolution, News.Az reports, citing Agenzia Nova.

He pointed out that it is Armenia that has illegally occupied not only Karabakh but also a significantly larger territory inhabited exclusively by Azerbaijanis for thirty years—a situation condemned by the UN.

"It is not Azerbaijan that is responsible for the Armenians abandoning the region," Cirielli stated, referencing independent UN reports. He emphasized that over 750,000 Azerbaijanis were forced to flee due to the ongoing conflict instigated by Armenia under the guise of protecting Armenians in internationally recognized Azerbaijani territory.

According to Cirielli, there are no Azerbaijani troops on Armenian territory, it was the Armenians who liberated four illegally occupied villages after decades. “There are no disputed territories because Armenia itself declared it so; the only issue raised by the Azerbaijanis concerns the ambiguous provisions in Armenia’s constitution, which could be interpreted as revanchist,” the Italian diplomat stressed.

He emphasized that the European Parliament’s resolution certainly does not aid the swift approval of a peace treaty.

“The European Union should actually be interested in stabilizing the Caucasus with a neutral and balanced stance that brings the two countries closer, rather than exacerbating their ongoing tensions. This is something our US partners do very well, and so does our Foreign Minister Tajani, who has met with both parties involved on multiple occasions, with much appreciation of the US,” Cirielly added.

News.Az