The European Parliament approved a resolution urging Azerbaijan to withdraw its troops from Armenia’s sovereign territory and release Armenians being held captive in Baku.
The resolution was approved by a vote of 453 in favor, 31 opposed and 89 abstentions on Thursday and focused on Azerbaijan’s violation of human rights and international law and relations with Armenia.
Ahead of the United Nations Climate Summit, the COP29, which will be held in Baku next month, the European Parliament members also called on European Union leadership to halt energy cooperation with Baku, citing Azerbaijan’s abhorrent human rights record.
“The European Parliament considers that Azerbaijan’s ongoing human rights abuses are incompatible with its hosting of COP29; urges EU leaders, in particular Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, to use COP29 as an opportunity to remind Azerbaijan of its international obligations and to meaningfully address the country’s human rights record in their interactions with the Azerbaijani authorities,” the resolution said.
The resolution also insisted that any future partnership agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan be made conditional on the release of all political prisoners, the implementation of legal reforms and the overall improvement of the human rights situation in the country, as well as on Azerbaijan demonstrating its genuine readiness to faithfully engage in the negotiation of a peace agreement with Armenia and to respect the rights of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians.
The lawmakers called for the complete full implementation of all orders and provisional measures issued by the International Court of Justice regarding “the safe, unimpeded and expeditious return of people who fled Nagorno-Karabakh,” pointing out that Azerbaijan has thus far failed to comply with the court’s decisions and rulings.
Furthermore, the resolution emphasized its earlier calls on the Azerbaijani authorities “to allow the safe return of the Armenian population to Nagorno-Karabakh, to genuinely engage in a comprehensive and transparent dialogue with them, to provide robust guarantees for the protection of their rights, including their land and property rights, the protection of their distinct identity and their civic, cultural, social and religious rights, and to refrain from any inflammatory rhetoric that could incite discrimination against Armenians; urges the Azerbaijani authorities to release all 23 Armenian prisoners of war detained following Azerbaijan’s retaking of the Nagorno-Karabakh region.”
“The Parliament reiterates its call for the EU institutions and the Member States to continue to offer assistance to Armenia to deal with the refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh; calls for the EU, in this regard, to provide a new package of assistance to Armenia to help the Armenian Government address the humanitarian needs of refugees; welcomes all efforts by the Government of Armenia to provide shelter and aid to the displaced Armenians,” the resolution added.
“It expresses deep concern regarding the preservation of cultural, religious and historical heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh following the massive exodus of its Armenian population; urges Azerbaijan to refrain from further destruction, neglect or alteration of the origins of cultural, religious or historical heritage in the region and calls on it instead to strive to preserve, protect and promote this rich diversity; demands the protection of the Armenian cultural, historical and religious heritage in Nagorno-Karabakh in line with UNESCO standards and Azerbaijan’s international commitments; insists that Azerbaijan allow a UNESCO mission to Nagorno-Karabakh and grant it the necessary access,” the resolution emphasized.
The European parliament also condemned “any military aggression, use of force or hybrid threats against Armenia, as well as foreign interference and attempts to destabilize the political situation in Armenia.”
The resolution welcomed a recent agreement pledge by the European Peace Facility to support Armenia’s Armed Forces, and voiced support for EU member-states working to support Armenia’s military and defense sectors. Furthermore, the European Parliament also hailed the EU mission in Armenia and called for its expansion.
At the same time, the resolution called for “the EU to cease all technical and financial assistance to Azerbaijan that might contribute to strengthening its military or security capabilities; calls on the Member States to freeze exports of all military and security equipment to Azerbaijan.”
The European Parliament also reaffirmed its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both Armenia and Azerbaijan, and voiced strong support for normalization of their relations “based on the principles of the mutual recognition of territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders, in accordance with the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration.”
While reiterating its demand for the withdrawal of Azerbaijan’s troops from the entirety of Armenia’s sovereign territory, the European parliament also called on Azerbaijan “to unequivocally commit to respecting Armenia’s territorial integrity. It highlighted that “Azerbaijan’s connectivity issues with its exclave of Nakhichevan should be resolved with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia.”
The European Parliament members also reiterated their position that the EU should be ready to impose sanctions on any individuals and entities that threaten the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Armenia.
