On Tuesday 3 October, MEPs denounced the European Union’s passivity regarding the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, calling on it to do more.
“The commitment of the international community should be stronger, including at EU level”, emphasised Anna Fotyga (Polish), speaking on behalf of ECR.
On behalf of Renew Europe, Nathalie Loiseau (French) denounced “Europe’s absence” during the months when the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh were “surrounded, starved and then attacked” by Azerbaijan. “Europe has been passive for the worst of calculations: it has been slow to defend a democracy on the pretext that it needs gas”, she added, drawing a parallel with Ukraine and Russia. “Let’s save our honour, let’s save Armenia!”, was her call to the representatives of the European Commission and the Council of the EU.
“The EU prefers Azerbaijani gas to the blood of Armenians [...] Europe’s honour is being put to the test. Do we dare to be bystanders at the disappearance of a people?”, asked Jordan Bardella (ID, French), reminding us that “a people that disappears is an identity that is extinguished”.
“How is it possible for us to abandon a country? Something must be done for the Armenians. We must avoid what has already happened in Ukraine”, added Markéta Gregorová (Greens/EFA, Czech).
For Idoia Villanueva Ruiz (The Left, Spanish), “The EU has neither shown the solidarity nor provided the aid that it has given to other countries”. “Armenians are entitled to our support”, she added, asking about the status of Azerbaijan: “Is it a reliable country? A credible ally?”
Call for sanctions
MEPs called on the EU to react by increasing its humanitarian aid to the Armenians remaining in Nagorno-Karabakh and those who have fled, but also by imposing sanctions on Baku. “We have promised strong action. The actions must include sanctions, set conditions for a new agreement with Azerbaijan and put an end to the gas agreement”, said Marina Kaljurand (S&D, Estonian), adding that Armenia needed to be given a long-term European perspective.
For Željana Zovko (EPP, Croatian), it is not yet time for sanctions. But “any attempt to exploit the situation to destabilise Armenia or a military operation on its territory will be deemed unacceptable”. “If such actions were to occur, a reassessment of our relations would have to take place and restrictive measures would have to be imposed”, she warned.
European Commissioner Stella Kyriakides reiterated that sanctions were only one of the tools in the EU’s hands, decided on unanimously by the EU Council. She added that the EU would continue to support all efforts to normalise relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)