2023-10-05 13:28:21
On Thursday, members of the European Parliament accused Azerbaijan of carrying out “ethnic cleansing” once morest the Armenian population in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, calling on the European Union to impose sanctions on Baku. While an advisor to the Azerbaijani president indicated on Thursday that his country is ready to hold talks with Armenia through the mediation of the European Union.
Published on: 05/10/2023 – 15:28
2 minutes
European MPs were charged Thursday Azerbaijan Carrying out “ethnic cleansing” once morest the Armenian population in the region Nagorni KarabakhThey called on the European Union to impose sanctions on Baku.
Almost all of Nagorno-Karabakh’s 120,000 Armenian residents have fled the breakaway region since Azerbaijan retook it following a lightning attack last month.
The European Parliament said that it considers “the current situation to amount to ethnic cleansing,” adding that it “strongly condemns the threats and violence committed by Azerbaijani forces.”
The lawmakers called on European Union member states to “impose targeted sanctions on individuals in the Azerbaijani government” once morest the backdrop of the attack and accusations of human rights violations in Nagorno-Karabakh.
They also urged the bloc to “reduce the EU’s dependence on gas exports from Azerbaijan” and called on Brussels to review its relations with the country.
Readiness for dialogue
On the other hand, an advisor to the Azerbaijani president confirmed Thursday that Baku is ready to hold talks with Armenia mediated by the European Union, even if Azerbaijan does not attend the European Political Community summit in Spain, where the conflict in the Nagorno-Karabakh region is scheduled to arise.
Presidential advisor Hikmet Hajiyev said on the “X” platform, “Azerbaijan is ready to participate soon in Brussels in tripartite meetings between the European Union, Azerbaijan, and Armenia,” denouncing the “militarization policy” practiced by France in the South Caucasus, which, according to him, prompted his country to refuse to participate in the summit. Granada.
The resolution, approved by 491 lawmakers to nine, does not obligate the European Union to take any measure, but it will anger Baku, which has strongly denied accusations of ethnic cleansing and has publicly called on the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh to stay and “reintegrate” in Azerbaijan.
European diplomats say that imposing sanctions on Azerbaijan is not on the table at the present time, and measures may be taken only if the situation worsens.
The European Union has intensified its imports of natural gas from Azerbaijan while distancing itself from Russia since its invasion of Ukraine.
France 24/AFP
1696515670
#Accusations #European #Parliament #Azerbaijan #carrying #ethnic #cleansing #Karabakh #Baku #expresses #willingness #negotiate