Italian senators raise issue of Armenia's refusal to provide mine maps to Azerbaijan

Members of the Italian Senate from the Italia Viva party, Mauro Maria Marino and Senator Laura Garavini, sent an official request to the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation about Italy's contribution to demining the liberated territories of Azerbaijan, Report informs.

The Italian senators noted that the Second Karabakh War ended with the signing of the Tripartite Statement between Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia on November 9, 2020. They also added that the conflict ended with the liberation of Shusha and other Azerbaijani territories from Armenian occupation, and the restoration of Azerbaijan's sovereignty over its territories recognized under UN Security Council Resolutions 822, 853, 874 and 884 of 1993 and international law.

Referring to the materials submitted by Azerbaijan to the International Court of Justice in the case against Armenia, the senators stressed that 75% of the liberated territories were mined during the Armenian occupation. They noted that the mines were also located outside military posts - in densely populated areas, agricultural areas, economically and socially important lands, and cemeteries. The senators also noted that the main urgent issue facing the establishment of lasting peace, security, and stability in the region in the post-conflict period is the demining of these areas.

They highlighted the visit of the Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic, Co-Chair of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Italy Manlio Di Stefano to the liberated territories of Azerbaijan in December 2020. In this regard, they requested to specify the possible contribution of Italy to the demining of the liberated territories of Azerbaijan.