Return of Armenians to Nagorno-Karabakh is matter of international law – MEP

The return of Armenian refugees to Nagorno-Karabakh is not a matter of political choice but a matter of international law, French MEP François-Xavier Bellamy told Alpha News, commenting on official Yerevan’s refusal to protect this right and its belief that refugees should not return.

“Armenians have become victims of ethnic cleansing on their territory, in their homes. Systematic preparations must be made for their return to this territory. And I believe we must never abandon this crucial principle,” the MEP said.

When asked whether he could justify the Armenian government’s position, which violates international law, and the fact that this issue was excluded from the Euronest resolution at Yerevan’s request, Bellamy replied that he would not comment on it since he did not know about it. He stressed that the European Parliament must uphold international law and remain committed to defending refugee rights. He called for the creation of a structural mechanism to organize and prepare for the return, noting that this would signal that the process is active and cannot be halted.

“This week, we are voting for a strong resolution on the situation in Azerbaijan. It is not directly related to this issue, but I believe we must still maintain a clear and consistent position on Armenia,” he said.