“The main purpose of these missions is fact-finding activities regarding Artsakh and RA,” said, Gaspar Karapetyan, President of ARF Hay Dat Europe Office, at a press conference with, François Alfonsi, Co-Chairman of the friendship group with Artsakh in the Council of Europe, a French member of the European Parliament, who arrived in Armenia on a fact-finding mission. He emphasized that the role of the deputies of the European Parliament is enormous in this work, especially at this moment, to remove the people of Artsakh from the blockade, unblock the Berdzor corridor, and bring the people of Artsakh out of isolation.
Gaspar Karapetyan informed us that the co-chairs were in Goris all day yesterday, had many meetings, and saw where the Azerbaijanis are after September 12. Francois Alphonse, a French member of the European Parliament and Co-Chairman of the friendship group with Artsakh in the Council of Europe, stated that the war in Nagorno-Karabakh and the aggressions on the Armenian border had created a new reality. He added: “This three-day trip in Armenia showed us how disturbing this situation is.”
He expressed a desire to repeat this mission to show the situation of RA and Nagorno-Karabakh and not allow the Ukrainian war to cover the whole field. Francois Alphonse said of their records: “We have verified the attacks that took place and the blockade of the Lachin Corridor. As a member of the faction of environmentalists in the European Parliament, I want to report that ecology seems to have become a tool because Azerbaijanis are trying to find an excuse and block the road in the name of environmentalists. Meanwhile, those who participate in that process are agents. Our testimonies show we are discussing cultural filtering and attempting to erase Armenian civilization. These are the first steps of ethnic cleansing. We document that Armenians live under constant threat of attacks. We want to show our solidarity with the representatives of the Armenian nation who live in RA and Artsakh, and we want to influence the general opinion. The MP also warned that cultural monuments in the occupied territories are under threat. Also, referring to the EU observation mission, he said their presence is important and positive.
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Then assured: “We should not allow the blockade to cause the ethnic cleansing of the people of Artsakh. Aliyev will lose his reputation under international pressure and be discredited. And all those countries that pay attention to Azerbaijan for economic interests will understand that the economy cannot be more important than cooperation with the criminal government.”
Tatev HARUTYUNYAN
