Suffering of 120,000 people of Nagorno-Karabakh deserves greater  attention - PACE debate

ArmInfo. The suffering of the 120,000 inhabitants of Nagorno-Karabakh deserves the greater  attention, but above all, they deserve that their fundamental rights are respected.   Swedish MP Boriana Aberg stated during the debate on the humanitarian  consequences of the blockade of the Berdzor (Lachin) corridor in  Artsakh held yesterday in the PACE.

According to her, this is not a question of territorial integrity.   This is not a question about Armenia or about Azerbaijan. It is  aquestion of human rights . "People in Nagorno-Karabakh freeze and  starve in the dark."

According to her, US Secretary of State Blinken recently spoke with  Azerbaijani President Aliyev calling for the immediate opening of the  Lachin Corridor. Prior to this, the European Parliament approved a  resolution calling on Azerbaijan to release Armenian prisoners of  war, withdraw its troops from the sovereign territory of Armenia and  open a corridor. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, the  Commissioner for Human Rights and the rapporteurs of Azerbaijan and  Armenia also made statements about the blockade. The European Court  of Human Rights indicated to Azerbaijan provisional measures on this  issue.

The parliamentarian noted with regret that Azerbaijan decided to  ignore these calls. "Therefore, I want to ask what actions need to be  taken so that Azerbaijan fulfills its obligations as a member of the  Council of Europe?" Boriana Aberg said.

Meanwhile, the French MP Bertrand Bouyx stressed in his speech that  the Council of Europe, established on the basis of the protection of  human rights and fundamental freedoms, should be able to participate  in these monitoring missions of the European Union. "Moreover, I  believe that it is absolutely necessary for us to see for ourselves  the state of affairs on the ground. In any case, the obstacles placed  in the way of movement along the corridor have serious humanitarian  consequences for the local population. <I do not need to describe  here the consequences of a lack of food, medicine, or fuel. The  corridor should not be used to stimulate the expulsion of the  Armenian population from Nagorno-Karabakh due to the fact that life  in this enclave has become impossible", the French MP stressed,  noting that France, as a member of the Minsk Group, remains fully  committed to supporting the negotiations, following the meetings in  Brussels, Prague and Washington.

 PACE MP from Great Britain Jill Mortimer expressed her concern over  the deteriorating situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. She called on the  governments of Azerbaijan and Armenia to join the OSCE efforts to  ensure peace and stability in the region. "Regardless of motives, the  protesters blocking the Lachin Corridor only exacerbate the growing  crisis. I call on all parties to the November 9, 2020 tripartite  statement to reaffirm that the Republic of Azerbaijan must guarantee  the safe movement of people, vehicles and goods in both directions  along the Lachin Corridor", Mortimer said.

Representative of Greece George Katrougalos  noted that despite  Azerbaijan's claims, there is no doubt that this country is  encircling Nagorno Karabakh. "The possibility that some Red Cross  vehicles are transporting some patients in a life-threatening  situation does not mean that the corridor is open. The proof of this  is that all parties that have the opportunity to have a direct, let's  say, understanding of the situation, like the United States or  France, have already condemned this blockade", Katrougalos  said.   Cypriot representative Constantinos Efstathiou  stressed that a  worrying situation has developed in Nagorno-Karabakh that threatens  to undermine the fragile peace process and could well lead to renewed  violence. "This could have catastrophic consequences, affecting not  only the peoples of Armenia and Azerbaijan, but also the wider region  of the South Caucasus and beyond," he said. The MP stressed that " it  is a crucial moment of genocide, let's not sacrifice people due to  political conditions or national interests. Every person in this  world deserves to live in dignity and with full respect for their  rights. The message should be clear: stop the blockade of Lachin  Corridor," the Cypriot delegate concluded."