13:29,
YEREVAN, MARCH 15, ARMENPRESS. The European Parliament has condemned in a new report Azerbaijan’s 2022 attack on Armenia, as well as its military incursions since May 2021and urged the return of all forces to their initial positions. It also called on Azerbaijan to ensure freedom and security of movement along Lachin Corridor.
The Report on EU-Azerbaijan relations notes that civilian traffic between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh on the Lachin Corridor has been blocked, the torture of POWs during the September fighting, the extrajudicial cases of torture and other abuse by Azerbaijani forces against Armenian civilians, including against older people, as well as a case of extrajudicial execution in 2020 and 2021.
“…the EU is ready to play an active role as a reliable trade partner and honest broker in mediating a sustainable peace settlement between Armenia and Azerbaijan, basing its action on the promotion of democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights,” reads the report. It also mentions that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had “implications for the South Caucasus and has further complicated the security situation in the region.”
The European Parliament “strongly condemns the latest large-scale military aggression by Azerbaijan in September 2022 against multiple targets in the sovereign territory of Armenia, which constituted a serious breach of the November 2020 ceasefire statement and contradicted earlier commitments, including those made in the framework of EU-mediated talks; condemns the military incursions made across the non-delimited border since May 2021; urges the return of all forces to their initial positions; condemns any attempts to undermine the peace process and urges all parties to the conflict to refrain from further use of force; reiterates that the territorial integrity of Armenia and Azerbaijan must be fully respected by all parties; underlines the EU’s readiness to be more actively involved in settling the region’s protracted conflicts; is seriously concerned about the blockade of the Lachin corridor; urges the Azerbaijani authorities to ensure freedom and security of movement along that corridor as prescribed by the trilateral statement of 9 November 2020; calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to address all concerns relating to the functioning of the Lachin corridor through dialogue and consultations with all the parties involved.”
The report mentions that “Azerbaijan’s record in terms of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is still very negative and needs to be improved before the EU further deepens its political and energy partnership with the country.”