MEP: There can be no fair negotiations when you have a weapon in your  hands - this is already blackmail

ArmInfo.There can be no fair negotiations when you have a weapon in your hands - this is already blackmail. Member of the European Parliament, Italian  politician Fabio Massimo Castaldo stated this on November 3 at a  press conference in Yerevan, referring to the situation on the  Armenian-Azerbaijani front line.

At the same time, he stressed that the delegation of the European  Parliament arrived in Armenia during this difficult period for it to  express its support and demonstrate the European presence, as well as  commitment to democratic values, including in the field of human  rights.

"We have come to say that we strongly condemn the September  aggression of the Azerbaijani authorities against the sovereign  territories of Armenia. We also condemn the atrocities shown against  prisoners - this is reprehensible and is a crime against humanity. I  am sure that peace cannot be achieved through forceful coercion, this  can only be done in the diplomatic field," the Italian politician  said.

He also accepted the fact that more than 130 square kilometers of the  territories of the Republic of Armenia were occupied by Azerbaijan,  emphasizing that he uses the term line of contact, and not the  internationally recognized border between Armenia and Azerbaijan,  speaking about the current situation, based on this fact. "We can't  dispute the fact that Azerbaijan seized the sovereign territories of  Armenia," Castaldo said.  At the same time, he stressed that a fair  settlement in the region can be achieved only by respecting the  territorial integrity and sovereignty of Armenia, as well as by  ensuring the right of the Armenians of Artsakh to self-determination.

At the same time, he recalled that earlier the European Parliament  adopted a resolution in defense of Armenian cultural values.  According to him, the document condemns crimes against the Armenian  cultural heritage in the territories that have come under Azerbaijani  control. He added that they are talking about churches, historical  and cultural monuments and even cemeteries, since the Armenian  history goes back many centuries.

Castaldo also added that the resolution called for the release of all  prisoners of war and civilians held in Azerbaijan.

It should be noted that on October 31, on the initiative of the  European office of ARF Hay Dat, a fact- finding mission of the  European Parliament arrived in Armenia, which will stay here until  November 4.  The visit was initiated based on the imperative of  countering the Azerbaijani aggression against Armenia and overcoming  the Azerbaijani isolation imposed on Artsakh, as well as the need to  ensure the constant internationalization of the Artsakh conflict and  the need to protect Armenian interests by the Hay Dat system as a  whole.

The delegation includes: Member of the European Parliament from the  Netherlands, member of the EPP political group, co-founder of the CE  Friendship Group with Artsakh Peter van Dalen, former Vice President  of the CE independent MP from Italy Fabio Massimo Castaldo, German MP  Lars Patrick Berg.