20:05, 21 June 2023

YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. Blocking the Lachin Corridor is illegal and must be stopped, ARMENPRESS reports, chair of the Security and Defense Subcommittee of the European Parliament Nathalie Loiseau announced, reaffirming the European Parliament's position on the issue of blocking the Lachin Corridor.

Nathalie Loiseau noted that they came to Armenia to express their support for the democratic processes and reforms they have witnessed over the years, as well as for all the peace-oriented efforts aimed at the idea of establishing peace with neighboring Azerbaijan.

"We wanted to make sure and assess the situation ourselves and also see how the European Union’s civilian mission, which has been operating along the border for four months, is working. Yesterday we had a meeting with officials in Yerevan, including Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and other high-ranking officials. Today we were in Goris, where we met with the governor of Syunik, the head of the community of Goris, residents of Nagorno-Karabakh located in Armenia and talked with them about the 44-day war and the blocking of the Lachin corridor.

We also approached the entrance to Lachin Corridor and saw with our own eyes the complete and illegal blockade of Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan. We heard about the increasing number of armed incidents and the invasion of the sovereign territory of Armenia. We learned about the incident in Yeraskh, where civilians were targeted. We also learned about the incident at the entrance to Lachin Corridor, where Azerbaijanis tried to raise a flag. I would like to send a strong message: as much as Armenia is devoted to peace, Azerbaijan is obliged to present evidence that it is also devoted to peace. The European Union is making efforts to facilitate the contacts between the leaderships of Armenia and Azerbaijan," Loiseau said.

According to her, the European Union is making efforts to reduce tension and the presence of the EU mission in Armenia should contribute to reducing those tension.

"As you know, it once country decides to start a war, but to stop it, the goodwill of both countries is needed. The time has come for a lasting peace to be established. I want to reaffirm the position of the European Parliament: the blocking of the Lachin corridor is illegal and must be stopped. The rights and well-being of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh must be protected and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia must be respected. I will take this message with me to Brussels, I will testify about what we saw and heard while in Armenia.

Since the blocking of the Lachin Corridor is illegal, I also send a message to the European ambassadors accredited in Baku, if Azerbaijan invites them to an illegally located checkpoint, they should refrain from accepting the invitation, remaining faithful to the terms of the ruling of the International Court of Justice," Loiseau concluded.