European leaders on Thursday warned Azerbaijan against forcibly displacing Artsakh Armenians and attacking the Republic of Armenia.
The Forced displacement of the civilian population of Artsakh through military or other means will be met with a strong response by the EU, the bloc’s foreign affairs chief High Representative Josep Borrell said in a statement, portions of which he emphasized during a United Nations Security Council session on Thursday.
European Council President Charles Michel on Wednesday European criticized Azerbaijan’s latest military offensive in Nagorno-Karabakh and warned Baku against attacking Armenia as well, a senior European Union official said on Thursday.
“The European Union condemns the military operation by Azerbaijan against the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh and deplores the casualties and loss of life caused by this escalation,” Borrell said.
“We have taken note of the respective announcements that a ceasefire agreement was reached. We expect an immediate and complete cessation of hostilities, and for the ceasefire to be respected,” he added.
“The EU calls on Azerbaijan to allow immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access to the population in need, including through a full re-opening of the Lachin corridor in line with the ICJ Orders of February and July 2023. The humanitarian actors should be able to operate freely. The EU and its Member States stand ready to provide urgent humanitarian assistance.
“The EU calls on Baku and Karabakh Armenians to urgently engage in a comprehensive and transparent dialogue.
“Azerbaijan bears the responsibility to ensure the rights and security of the Karabakh Armenians, including their right to live in their homes without intimidation and discrimination,” the statement added. “Forced displacement of the civilian population through military or other means will be met with a strong response by the EU.”
“The EU stands ready to take appropriate actions in the event of a further deterioration of the situation,” Borrell said.
“The EU reiterates its support to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both Azerbaijan and Armenia. We call on Azerbaijan to reaffirm its unequivocal commitment to the territorial integrity of Armenia, in line with the 1991 Almaty Declaration,” he added. “The EU stands ready to further support the democratically elected authorities of Armenia: the resilience, security and continuation of democratic reforms in the country. The European Union Mission in Armenia (EUMA) will continue to observe and report on the security situation along the Armenian side of the international border with Azerbaijan.”
“The EU calls for the resumption of negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan on all pending issues, in view of the conclusion of a peace treaty, and remains fully committed to supporting such negotiations,” he said.
“The European Union remains fully committed to facilitating dialogue between the sides, notably under the auspices of the European Council President with support of the EU Special Representative, in order to ensure long-lasting peace for the benefit of all people of the region,” he added.
In a phone call late on Wednesday, Michel also urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to “urgently provide credible guarantees for the rights and security of Karabakh Armenians.”
“President Michel expressed a very stark disappointment at the use of force and stressed the need for the ceasefire to hold,” an EU official told Azatutyun.am on Thursday.
The official said Michel told Aliyev that the Azerbaijani military operation caused a “negative resonance at the international level, including in the EU where there were discussions this morning on the different options in terms of response.”
“The means Baku used are simply not acceptable,” Michel said, according to him.
“He also stressed that any intention to use force against Armenia would be unacceptable,” added the official.
In his words, Aliyev assured Michel that Azerbaijan has no territorial claims to Armenia, reaffirming mutual recognition of each other’s territorial integrity agreed during talks with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan hosted by Michel earlier this year.
The phone conversation took place hours after Russian peacekeepers brokered a fresh ceasefire to stop the fighting that displaced much of Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian population. As part of that deal, Nagorno-Karabakh agreed to disband and disarm its armed forces, essentially paving the way for the restoration of full Azerbaijani control over the region. Few of its residents are expected to stay in Karabakh in that case.
The EU official said Michel also urged Baku to declare “amnesty” for the Karabakh Armenians. “For those who wish to leave Nagorno-Karabakh, conditions must be put in place for a safe dignified and voluntary exit,” he quoted the EU leader as saying.
“Azerbaijan must ensure that ethnic Armenians will be respected and there is a future for them in Azerbaijan. A role for the international community is needed to ensure safety,” the official said.
He added that Aliyev rejected such a role while pledging to “consider amnesty for those who lay their arms down.”
