AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Website: www.agbu.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, June 9, 2017

AGBU EUROPE LAUNCHES APPEAL CALLING ON THE EUROPEAN UNION TO PROVIDE AID TO THE 
PEOPLE OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH

On June 7, AGBU Europe launched an appeal calling on the European Union and 
European aid organizations to engage with the population of Nagorno-Karabakh.  

Nagorno-Karabakh (NKR) is a landlocked mountainous territory in the South 
Caucasus, home to 150,000 people. It is one of the several unrecognized states 
that emerged from the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the Republic of 
Azerbaijan claims sovereignty over NKR. It is one of the most impoverished 
areas in the periphery.  

The inhabitants of this small unrecognized state have been under continuous 
threat of war and isolation for more than 20 years, which has caused 
considerable hardship. A blockade continues to impact the daily life of the 
people, who also suffer from the highest mine-related casualty rate in the 
world. 

The EU does not provide direct aid to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, in 
contrast to other territories under dispute, such as Northern Cyprus, Abkhazia 
or Transnistria, which have received substantial benefits from EU engagement 
and aid.

"We call on all those who believe in Europe to sign onto this appeal. We stand 
ready to work with European institutions as well as with international NGOs to 
find ways to respond to the needs of the civilian population in 
Nagorno-Karabakh," says Nadia Gortzounian, President of AGBU Europe. 

Despite the isolation and economic hardship, Nagorno-Karabakh focuses on the 
development of democracy. It is making considerable efforts to improve 
institutions and strengthen civil society.  

AGBU Europe has published a video and information package aimed at explaining 
the case for EU engagement in NKR. 

The appeal can be signed online at:
change.org/p/we-want-europe-in-nagorno-karabakh 

Watch the short video:
youtube.com/watch?v=P7KFWOuL6bc

For more information, please visit Campaign for European Union Aid in 
Nagorno-Karabakh:
agbueurope.org/campaign-for-eu-aid-to-karabakh

Find out what more you can do to support this campaign:
agbueurope.org/donate-agbu-europe-campaign-for-european-union-aid-to-nagorno-karabakh
 

AGBU Europe coordinates and develops the pan-European activities of the 
Armenian General Benevolent Union. AGBU Europe runs numerous programs in fields 
relating to academic research, the preservation and promotion of heritage, 
education and culture as well as awareness raising, advocacy and leadership 
training.

Established in 1906, AGBU (www.agbu.org) is the world's largest non-profit 
Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU preserves and 
promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through educational, cultural and 
humanitarian programs, annually touching the lives of some 500,000 Armenians 
around the world.
 
For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit 
www.agbu.org.

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PHOTO CAPTIONS:

EU-NKR.jpg: AGBU Europe launches a campaign calling on the European Union to 
provide aid to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.

EU-NKR.jpg

EUinNKR.docx
EUinNKR.docx