The European Parliament has called on Azerbaijan to release the Armenian prisoners and ensure the safe return of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.
According to the correspondent of "Armenpress" in Brussels, with the adopted resolution, the deputies of the European Parliament strongly condemn the repressions of the Azerbaijani authorities against the leaders of the opposition, journalists, activists, inside the country and abroad.
Emphasizing that these pressures have especially intensified ahead of COP 29, the Council calls for the immediate release of all arbitrarily imprisoned and detained political prisoners and to stop all kinds of persecution and repression. Members of the European Parliament express serious concern about the atmosphere of fear created inside the country, which is aimed at silencing the civil society. "Continuous violations of human rights by Azerbaijan are incompatible with the holding of COP 29.
EU leaders, in particular European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, are called upon to use COP 29 as an opportunity to remind Azerbaijan of its international obligations and meaningfully address the human rights situation in that country," the resolution states. The European Parliament also calls on the EU and its member states to do everything possible so that the UN Climate Change Conferences are not hosted in countries with poor human rights records.
With the adopted resolution, the members of the European Parliament call on the EU to stop dependence on Azerbaijani gas, suspend the 2022 memorandum of understanding on strategic partnership in the energy sector and insist that the release of all political prisoners and the implementation of legal reforms be a prerequisite for the future partnership agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan. and the general improvement of the state of human rights in the country. The MEPs draw special attention to the fact that Azerbaijan should show readiness to be faithfully involved in peace agreement negotiations with Armenia and to respect the rights of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. The European Parliament reaffirms its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of both Armenia and Azerbaijan. The European Parliament strongly supports the regulation of relations between the two countries on the principles of mutual recognition of territorial integrity and inviolability of borders, in accordance with the 1991 Declaration of Alma-Ata. The CE reaffirms its demand: the Azerbaijani army must withdraw from the entire sovereign territory of Armenia and calls on Azerbaijan to respect the territorial integrity of Armenia.
With the adopted resolution, the European Parliament emphasizes that the problems related to the unblocking of communications in the region must be solved exclusively, respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia. The Council of Europe deputies warn that any military action against Armenia is unacceptable and will have serious consequences on the EU-Azerbaijan partnership. "The EU should be ready to apply sanctions against any individual and organization that threaten the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Armenia," the resolution says. The resolution, welcoming the aid allocated to the armed forces of Armenia from the European Peace Fund, calls for further strengthening of Armenia-EU cooperation in the field of security and defense, and also condemns any military aggression, use of force or hybrid threats against Armenia. Emphasizing the importance of the EU civil mission in Armenia, the MEPs express their concern about the defamatory and critical statements and campaigns coming from Azerbaijan.
In this context, the EU and its member states are called upon to increase and extend the mission's mandate. While welcoming the progress made between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the framework of the demarcation process, the resolution calls on the EU to stop any technical and financial assistance to Azerbaijan that could contribute to the strengthening of its military or security capabilities, and calls on member states to freeze military and security equipment. all exports to Azerbaijan. The resolution calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to release all 23 Armenian prisoners of war. The MEPs call on Azerbaijan to comply with the decisions of the International Court of Justice, including the decision on the safe, unimpeded and quick return of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. The resolution urges to start a comprehensive and transparent dialogue with Artsakh Armenians and to give all the necessary guarantees regarding their protection, land and property rights. The EU structures are called upon to continue supporting Armenia in meeting the necessary humanitarian needs in matters related to the displaced persons from Nagorno Karabakh.
Expressing deep concern about the preservation of the historical and cultural heritage of Nagorno-Karabakh, the MEPs call on the Azerbaijani authorities to refrain from further destruction, neglect or alteration of cultural, religious or historical heritage in the region and instead call for the conservation, protection and promotion of the existing rich diversity. The deputies of the CE insist that Azerbaijan should provide the necessary access to Nagorno Karabakh to the UNESCO mission. The resolution strongly condemns public insults and direct threats directed at elected officials of EU member states by diplomatic representatives of Azerbaijan or members of the government and parliament of Azerbaijan. In this context, the European Parliament demands that the entry of Azerbaijani officials to the buildings of the EU structures is prohibited until further notice.
