The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the humanitarian consequences of the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh. The resolution was adopted by a show of hands, without an actual vote count.

In the resolution MEPs deplore the serious humanitarian crisis caused by the current blockade of the Lachin corridor by self-proclaimed environmentalists from Azerbaijan.

The resolution stresses the need for a comprehensive peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan guaranteeing the rights and security of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh. It calls for international organizations to access the area to provide the necessary humanitarian assistance, and for a UN or OSCE fact-finding mission to visit the Lachin corridor to assess the humanitarian situation on the ground.

MEPs also condemn the inaction of Russian peacekeepers in the area and say they should be replaced by international OSCE peacekeepers.

What amendments MEPs did not adopt

MEPs refused to accept a number of amendments during the voting on the resolution. In particular, that the European Parliament:

- Deplores President Aliyev's repeated inflammatory rhetoric and his call for the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh to leave, which would provoke ethnic cleansing;

- Calls on the UN Secretary General to visit the Lachin corridor and state the illegal nature of the blockade;

- Condemns Azerbaijan's continued policy of destroying Armenian cultural heritage in and around Nagorno-Karabakh in violation of international law and the ruling of the International Court of Justice; calls for the restoration of damaged sites; and urges Azerbaijan to allow a UNESCO fact-finding mission without preconditions.

All of these amendments were rejected in the vote.

Below is the full text of the resolution adopted:

Taking into account its previous resolutions on Armenia and Azerbaijan, bearing in mind Articles 144(5) and 132(4) of the Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and the outside world, the Lachin corridor, has been blockaded since 12 December 2022 by self-proclaimed environmentalists from Azerbaijan; whereas this has obstructed access to essential goods and services, including food, fuel and medicine, for the 120,000 Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh by effectively placing them under blockade

B. because the blockade has led to a deep humanitarian crisis, which has seriously affected the most vulnerable populations; the transportation of the seriously ill is virtually impossible, which has resulted in human deaths because of this situation; hundreds of families are still separated

C. whereas this humanitarian crisis has continued to worsen due to Azerbaijan's cutting off the supply of natural gas to Nagorno Karabakh, leaving homes, hospitals and schools without heating;

D. whereas, if Azerbaijan continues to support the blockade of the Lachin corridor, it will violate its international obligations under the tripartite ceasefire statement of 9 November 2020, which requires Azerbaijan to guarantee the security of people, vehicles and goods moving along the corridor in both directions

E. because obstacles to the use of the Lachin corridor have stalled the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan and weakened international confidence;

The European Parliament:

1) Deplores the tragic humanitarian consequences of the blockade of the Lachin corridor and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict;

2) Urges Azerbaijan to respect and implement the Trilateral Statement of 9 November 2020 and to immediately open the Lachin corridor in order to ensure freedom of movement and access to basic goods and services, thereby guaranteeing security in the region and preserving the livelihoods of residents;

3) Stresses the need for a comprehensive peace agreement that must guarantee the rights and security of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh; Calls on Azerbaijan to protect the rights of Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh and to refrain from hateful rhetoric calling for discrimination against Armenians and calling on Armenians to leave Nagorno-Karabakh;

4) Calls on Azerbaijan not to weaken the transportation, energy and communication links between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh in the future

5) Strongly condemns Azerbaijan for blaming human rights defenders and civil society organizations, and calls on EU and member state missions to support their work;

6) Condemns the inaction of Russian "peacekeeping forces"; believes that their replacement by an international OSCE peacekeeping force, according to the UN mandate, should be urgently agreed;

7) Requests unhindered access to Nagorno-Karabakh for international organizations to assess the situation and provide the necessary humanitarian assistance;

8) Requests a UN or OSCE fact-finding mission to the Lachin corridor to assess the humanitarian situation on the ground;

9) Requests that negotiations based on the principles of the Helsinki Final Act be resumed without delay and without preconditions;

10) Calls on the EU to actively engage and ensure that the people of Nagorno-Karabakh are no longer held hostage by Baku's activity, Russia's destructive role and the inaction of the Minsk Group;

11) Instructs its President to pass this resolution to the Council and the Commission.