Ms. Marina Kalyurand, the Head of the Delegation on Relations with the South Caucasus, has responded to my correspondences warning about the security challenges threatening Armenia and Artsakh, the atrocities of Azerbaijan. In her reply letter she has assured the full attention of the European Parliament to the situation of the Republic of Artsakh and the population forcibly displaced from there, as well as to the dangers threatening Armenia itself.
Specifically, Ms. Kalyurand noted:
“Dear Ms Tovmasyan,
The President of the European Parliament, Ms Roberta Metsola, has asked me, in my capacity of Chair of the Delegation for relations with the South Caucasus, to reply to your letter of 21 August 2023.
In the light of the Azerbaijani attack of 19 September 2023 and its dramatic consequences for the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, I wish to assure you of the full attention of the European Parliament to the situation of Nagorno-Karabakh and its displaced population, as well as to the threats posed to Armenia itself.
Read also
In a statement released on 19 September by leading MEPs, as well as in Parliament’s resolution of 5 October 2023, we condemned in the strongest terms the pre-planned and unjustified military attack and called for targeted sanctions against responsible individuals in the Azerbaijani government. As you know, in our previous resolutions and statements, we had already unequivocally condemned and demanded sanctions for the inhuman blockade of the Lachin Corridor, perpetrated in blatant violation of the 2020 ceasefire statement and of the orders of the International Court of Justice.
Let me express my heartfelt condolences with regard to the loss of lives of Karabakh Armenians due to this military attack and its aftermath, including the tragic fuel depot explosion near Stepanakert. I also express my deep solidarity with the people who have been forced to flee their homes. This should include international presence on the ground to provide transparency and reassurance, and also to ensure other priority tasks such as the preservation of cultural heritage.
We are acutely aware of the aggressive rhetoric and military build-up of Azerbaijan threatening the Republic of Armenia. The refusal of Azerbaijan’s President to attend the EU-facilitated meeting in the framework of the meeting of the European Political Community in Granada is regrettable in this respect, as it once again shows the lack of commitment in Baku to seek sustainable peace. This is also why we are calling for a comprehensive review of the EU’s relations with Azerbaijan. While we trust in and call for the resumption of the peace talks, “business as usual” with Baku is clearly no longer acceptable.
In this time of need when your country faces a number of external threats, the European Parliament reiterates its unwavering support to Armenia’s sovereignty, democracy and territorial integrity. It seeks a substantial increase of the EU assistance to Armenia, beyond the immediate needs of humanitarian aid. We believe that this should, under certain conditions, also include support from the European Peace Facility.
Finally, let me point out that I welcome Armenia’s recent ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. This is an important step in favour of international justice, which sends a clear message to potential aggressors and brings Armenia yet closer to the European Union.”, wrote the Head of the Delegation on Relations with the South Caucasus in response to my letters.
Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs of the National Assembly of RA, whose powers have been illegally terminated, nonpartisan MP TAGUHI TOVMASYAN
