During the foreign policy discussions held in the Dutch Parliament with the participation of Foreign Minister Wopke Hoekstra, leader of the Farmer–Citizen Movement Party, MP Van der Plas, who won an absolute victory in the recent provincial elections, asked the Foreign Minister questions of concern to the Armenian community within the framework of the Parliament's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs.
In the case of peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, how can the Netherlands and the EU contribute to the maintenance of long-term peace, and whether the Minister will make efforts to achieve it, the Minister answered that negotiations mediated by the USA and the EU are underway, which will hopefully lead to a lasting peace agreement.
The Minister noted that the protection of human rights in Nagorno-Karabakh is essential, for which the Azerbaijani side is fully responsible. The US and EU are calling for the safety of civilians, and the Minister will do so on behalf of the Kingdom of the Netherlands if necessary.
Emphasizing the anxiety of the Armenian community, Van der Plas asked whether “accepting each other's territorial integrity” also means the return of the Armenian territory (150 square kilometers) occupied by Azerbaijan as of September 21, 2022.
Minister Hoekstra noted that, in general, they will always advocate for the preservation of territorial integrity, which is a completely legal requirement and corresponds to the UN Charter. Naturally, this issue should also be involved in the negotiations mediated by the US and the EU.
Van der Plas also inquired whether the Minister is aware of the news about the import of Russian gas by Baku through the territory of Azerbaijan to meet European demand.
The Minister answered that the EU addressed Azerbaijan on this issue. According to the Minister, we are talking about the small amount of gas, however, it is important to talk about it. Minister Hoekstra emphasized that the EU has clearly emphasized that it will continue to keep this issue on the agenda with Azerbaijan.
