Azerbaijan must allow return to Nagorno-Karabakh
According to a ruling by the International Court of Justice, Azerbaijan must allow refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh to return to their homeland. The highest court of the United Nations in The Hague ruled that the country must guarantee people's freedom of movement. It thus upheld a complaint by Armenia. The court's rulings are binding.
The judges ruled that people who fled from the enclave must return to their home country unmolested if they so wish. Conversely, according to the ruling, Azerbaijan must ensure that ethnic Armenians can also leave Nagorno-Karabakh of their own free will. The UN judges also obliged Azerbaijan to submit a report within the next eight weeks detailing the measures the country has taken to protect the people.
Armenia had demanded immediate action after the Azerbaijani army forced the surrender of Armenian forces in the region on September 19. Around 100,000 people then fled the region. Armenia speaks of forced resettlement and ethnic cleansing.
It was the third time that Armenia had turned to the UN's highest judges in the protracted conflict.
Source: www.dpa.com
