The European Parliament shows its teeth about Nagorno-Karabakh

The European Parliament wants a complete review of EU-Azerbaijan relations. A parliamentary resolution describes the country as an unreliable partner and calls for the energy deal to be reconsidered. It is a response to the recent attack on Nagorno-Karabakh and the alarming human rights situation on the ground. MEP Assita Kanko, a member of the Human Rights Committee, supports the content of the text: “It is time for the EU to show its teeth and not be guided by opportunism. What Azerbaijan is doing in Nagorno-Karabakh amounts to ethnic cleansing. We must show that this cannot continue without consequences.”

Aggression

Azerbaijan’s recent crackdown on the Armenian people has been strongly condemned by the international community. The aggression in September 2022 and the offensive against the Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh call into question further European cooperation with Azerbaijan. Kanko: “Parliament is finally showing its teeth. I hope that the Commission will follow this example and take firm action.”

Visa agreement

Through this resolution, Parliament is putting pressure on the European Commission to review its strategic partnership with the country and to suspend further negotiations. “As long as Azerbaijan is not willing to respect the rights and security of the Armenian people, the EU will no longer come to the table. International law applies to everyone. Azerbaijan must also feel this in other areas. For example, the visa agreement is not set in stone,” says Assita Kanko.

Russian gas

In addition, the European Parliament also expresses concern about the origin of the imported gas from Azerbaijan and insists on an investigation. This is more than justified, according to Kanko: “There is a real chance that Azerbaijan is actually exporting Russian gas. In that way, the EU is funding a war at its own external border. We demand a thorough investigation and insist that the EU severely reduce its dependence on Azerbaijani gas.”

The resolution received the full support of the N-VA delegation. “As a party, we protect human rights and support Armenian sovereignty and European values,” Kanko concludes.