You are currently viewing “The EU executive cannot continue disregarding the opinion of the European Parliament”, the EAFJD President on the latest EP resolution on Azerbaijan
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Brussels, 24 October 2024 – In its plenary session on October 24, the European Parliament (EP) adopted the resolution on “The situation in Azerbaijan, violation of human rights and international law and relations with Armenia” with 453 votes in favor, 31 against, and 89 abstentions. This vote had been preceded by a parliamentary debate on the subject on 22 October.

The Members of the European Parliament (MEP) strongly condemn Aliyev’s regime ahead of COP 29 and call on the EU executive to suspend the energy memorandum with Azerbaijan. The European Parliament states that the continuous violations of human rights by Azerbaijan are incompatible with its hosting of COP29 and calls for the EU and its Member States to do their utmost to ensure that United Nations Climate Change conferences are not hosted in countries with poor human rights records.

The resolution makes a reference to the continuous deterioration of human rights in Azerbaijan, gross violations of international law, including the aggressive behavior towards Armenia, strict restrictions on civil society and the vicious mechanisms of “caviar diplomacy” to bribe European officials. The EP also highlights the occupation of the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia by Azerbaijan, the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan’s attack carried out in violation of international law, the ethnic cleansing of the Armenian population of Nagorno Karabakh as well as the detention of 23 Armenians, including eight former leaders Nagorno Karabakh/Artsakh who are currently being held in Azerbaijani prisons without adequate legal representation.

Furthermore, the European Parliament reiterates its demand for an independent investigation into the abuses committed by the Azerbaijani forces in Nagorno-Karabakh and the release of all 23 Armenian prisoners of war. The EP 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, and to refrain from any inflammatory rhetoric that could incite discrimination against Armenians.  There is also a special reference to the protection of the historical and cultural heritage of Artsakh, for which the entry of the relevant UNESCO mission to the region is required.

The EP calls on Azerbaijan to unequivocally commit to respecting Armenia’s territorial integrity, highlights that Azerbaijan’s connectivity issues with its exclave of Nakhijevan should be resolved with full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia. It is important to emphasize that in this context the EP reaffirms that the EU should be ready to impose sanctions on any individuals and entities that threaten the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Armenia. The MEPs condemn aggression against Armenia, including hybrid attacks, urge Azerbaijan to withdraw its armed forces from the sovereign territory of Armenia,  and welcome the defense military assistance provided to Armenia by some member states.

Commenting on the resolution, the EAFJD[1] President Kaspar Karampetyan, noted: “The adoption of this resolution was the logical continuation of the previous resolutions of the European Parliament. We highly appreciate the consistent and principled stance of the MEPs on the subject. We hope that this will also lead to reevaluating the policy of the EU executive towards Azerbaijan.”

Karampetian further elaborated,

“With this resolution the European Parliament insists 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.”

 

“I would like to emphasize that the issue of ratification of a new agreement of the EU with Azerbaijan is within the jurisdiction of the European Parliament, and the EU executive is constrained by the Parliament’s position on this matter. Therefore, the development of the policy of the EU executive will, to a certain extent, depend on the position of the parliament, so the executive power cannot continue disregarding the position of the European Parliament. The EAFJD and its committees across Europe will certainly continue their work in this regard”,

           concluded Karampetian.

[1] European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy