Joint statement was issued by Chair of the Delegation for relations with the South Caucasus, MEP Marina Kaljurand, European Parliament's Standing Rapporteur on Armenia, MEP Andrey Kovatchev, and European Parliament's Standing Rapporteur on Azerbaijan, MEP Željana Zovko, on the blatant disrespect by Azerbaijan of its international obligations regarding the Lachin Corridor.
“We express our strong concern related to the installation by Azerbaijan of a checkpoint on the Lachin Corridor on 23 April 2023. This can have possible negative consequences and be seen as a clear violation of the ceasefire statement of 9 November 2020, as well as an act of disrespect of the binding ruling of the International Court of Justice of 22 February 2023 which ordered Azerbaijan to ‘take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions’.
We recall that the Azerbaijani blockade of the corridor has been ongoing since 12 December 2022, causing humanitarian hardship to the population of Nagorno-Karabakh and greatly undermining prospects for peace. The recent actions further aggravate the situation. We urge Baku to reverse course immediately and commit to the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and to the respect of international obligations and norms.
The European Union continues to stand ready to assist the parties in addressing all their differences through negotiations. Moreover, it is regrettable that such actions were taken on the very eve of the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day of 24 April, the anniversary of the launch of the extermination campaign by the Ottoman Empire 108 years ago. We commemorate the one and a half million victims who perished in the genocide and call on the international community to remain vigilant with respect to all instances of inflammatory rhetoric and actions that incite hatred and prevent reconciliation.”
