The European Parliament adopted by 491 votes to 9, with 36 abstentions, a resolution on the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh after Azerbaijan’s attack and the continuing threats against Armenia.
The text adopted in plenary was tabled by the EPP, S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA, ECR and The Left groups and Members.
As a reminder, the attack took place in the context of a major humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, following Azerbaijan’s blockade of the Lachin corridor for the past nine months, in violation of Baku’s commitments and of the legally binding orders of the International Court of Justice. There are reports that hundreds of Armenian civilians were killed and wounded during Azerbaijan’s military operation against Nagorno-Karabakh. Over 100 000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh have been forced to flee to Armenia since the Azerbaijani offensive on 19 September 2023. As a result, Nagorno-Karabakh has been almost entirely deprived of its Armenian population, who have been living there for centuries.
Parliament condemned in the strongest terms the pre-planned and unjustified military attack by Azerbaijan against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh and called for an immediate and complete end to the violence against the people who have remained in the region. It expressed its solidarity with the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh who have been forced to flee their homes and ancestral lands. Members considered that the current situation amounts to ethnic cleansing and strongly condemned the threats and acts of violence committed by Azerbaijani troops against the population of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The resolution highlighted that Azerbaijan was on a clear path to re-establish its control over Nagorno-Karabakh through diplomatic negotiations and that this attack contradicts Azerbaijan’s stated intentions of working towards a sustainable peace with Armenia and undermines the ongoing peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The resolution called on the EU institutions and the Member States to:
- immediately offer all necessary assistance to Armenia to deal with the influx of refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh and the resulting humanitarian crisis;
- adopt targeted sanctions against the individuals in the Azerbaijani Government responsible for multiple ceasefire violations and violations of human rights in Nagorno-Karabakh;
- urgently work towards securing international guarantees ensuring the safety and well-being of Armenians who are continuing to live in Nagorno-Karabakh and the immediate restoration of full humanitarian access to the region;
- increase their presence on the ground and substantially increase humanitarian aid to people displaced from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia or living in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The resolution called on the Azerbaijani authorities to:
- allow the safe return of the Armenian population to Nagorno-Karabakh, to offer solid guarantees regarding the protection of their rights and to refrain from any inflammatory rhetoric that could incite discrimination against Armenians;
- urgently and genuinely engage in a comprehensive and transparent dialogue with the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians to ensure respect for their rights and guarantee their security;
- immediate lift the blockade of the Lachin corridor in order to ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to those in need in Nagorno-Karabakh and fully open the Lachin corridor.
Parliament called for a comprehensive review of the EU’s relations with Azerbaijan, taking into account recent developments and the worsening human rights situation in the country. It called on the Commission to quickly reconsider the ‘strategic partnership’ with Azerbaijan in the field of energy, given Azerbaijan’s repeated violations of its international commitments, including commitments made in talks mediated by the EU and binding provisions under international law.
The resolution called for the EU and its Member States, if Azerbaijan continues to disregard its commitments, to consider suspending the visa facilitation agreement with Azerbaijan and lowering the level of cooperation with the country in other areas.
Parliament also called for the EU’s dependency on gas exports from Azerbaijan to be reduced.
Lastly, Parliament called on the EU civilian mission in Armenia (EUMA) to closely monitor the evolving security situation on the ground, provide transparent reporting to Parliament and actively contribute to conflict resolution efforts. The EU and its Member States are also called on to strengthen EUMA’s mandate, increase its size, extend its duration and also place monitors along the border with Türkiye.