The day after the request by EU foreign ministers (see EUROPE 13240/14), the spokeswoman for the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, called - in a statement published on Friday 1 September - for the the Lachin corridor to be reopened.
“The EU strongly believes the Lachin corridor must be unblocked, in line with past agreements and the order of the International Court of Justice, and notes that the use of the Ağdam road to provide supplies can also be part of a concrete and sustainable solution to the provision of urgent and daily basic needs”, she stressed. She highlighted that the humanitarian situation on the ground was deteriorating rapidly and that it was imperative to take measures to meet the needs of the local population.
According to the spokeswoman, in recent weeks Mr Michel’s efforts have focused primarily on the humanitarian situation of the Karabakh Armenians. Mr Michel, together with the EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus, Toivo Klaar, have been in frequent contact with Baku, Yerevan and representatives of the Karabakh Armenians to find a solution to unblock access.
According to the spokeswoman, Mr Michel proposed a step-by-step approach that would reflect a sequencing in the full exploitation of the Lachin corridor and the opening of the Ağdam road. “The sequencing of these steps and the type of cargo that would be delivered by each of these roads, as well as attendant procedures, have been the core of the recent discussions”, she added.
The EU has also stressed the need for Azerbaijan to clarify the procedures for the movement of Karabakh Armenians through the Lachin corridor. At the same time, discussions also focused on restoring electricity and gas supplies to the Karabakh Armenians as quickly as possible.
“The rights and security of Karabakh Armenians must be guaranteed and discussions on specific modalities should start as soon as possible”, warned the spokeswoman. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)