EU reiterates that the Lachin corridor must be unblocked, in line with past agreements and the ICJ Order, Spokesperson for the European Council President Spokesperson Ecaterina Casinge said in a statement.
President Charles Michel continued to be closely engaged in advancing those and other approaches, with a primary focus on de-escalation of tensions and the humanitarian situation facing the Karabakh Armenians, she said.
“In particular, President Michel has been engaged in intense contacts over the past few days, both with Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev during telephone conversations on September 9, 2023, but also with President of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on the margins of the G20 New Delhi summit on September 10, 2023,” the Spokesperson noted.
“These efforts, supported by daily interaction of his office and EUSR Toivo Klaar with Baku, Yerevan and representatives of Karabakh Armenians, have been aimed at de-escalation of tensions and working out a solution for unblocking humanitarian access to Karabakh Armenians,” she added.
“In this context, we note the passage today of a Russian humanitarian delivery via the Aghdam-Askeran route. We understand all the sensitivities associated with this development; it is our expectation that it will create a momentum for the resumption of regular humanitarian deliveries to the local population,” Casinge continued.
“The situation on the ground is deteriorating quickly. It is vital to ensure essential products are supplied to Karabakh Armenians. The opening of the Aghdam-Askeran route today is an important step that should facilitate the reopening also of the Lachin corridor. We call on all stakeholders to show responsibility and flexibility in ensuring that both the Lachin and the Aghdam-Askeran route will be used,” she said.
“This difficult situation on the ground has lasted for too long; it is now important to find sustainable and mutually acceptable solutions to ensure humanitarian access, also ahead of the autumn and winter seasons,” the Spokesperson emphasized.
“We reiterate our strong belief that the Lachin corridor must be unblocked, in line with past agreements and the ICJ Order, and underline our belief in the usefulness also of other supply routes, for the benefit of the local population,” she said.
“The EU expects that today’s developments will be followed by more concrete steps in the coming days and weeks, also regarding the dialogue between Baku and Karabakh Armenians on their rights and security, reconciliation efforts and the overall Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process,” the Spokesperson concluded.
