Tuesday, January 31 2023 15:51

ArmInfo. Since the beginning of December 2022, the EU has been closely following the developments along and around the Lachin Corridor and their humanitarian  implications.  EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and  Security Policy /Vice-President Josep Borrell said in a written  answer commenting on the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh, which was  besieged by Azerbaijan for the second month.

Thus, on December 16, 2022, MEP Assita Kanko sent an official request  to Borrell asking him what specific steps the High Representative /  Vice President is taking to ensure the security of the indigenous  Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh, against the backdrop of the  Azerbaijani blockade; whether the mandate of the EU Monitoring  Mission will be extended and whether the number of deployed experts  will be increased and whether restrictive measures will be taken  against the responsible authorities of Azerbaijan.  "High  Representative/Vice-President Borrell is in regular contact with the  Foreign Ministers of both sides. EU Special Representative Klaar also  remains in close contact with both sides. The EU has called on  Azerbaijan to take the measures that are within its jurisdiction to  ensure freedom and security of movement along the corridor, in line  with its obligations deriving from the trilateral statement of 9  November 2020. In accordance with the agreement reached in Prague on  6 October 2022, the EU Monitoring Capacity was deployed to Armenia  for a maximum of two months and completed its activities on 19  December 2022. The EU has started a new phase of engagement with the  decision1 to establish, in response to Armenia's request, a civilian  European Union mission in Armenia (EUMA) under the Common Security  and Defence Policy (CSDP). The objective of the mission is to  contribute to stability in the border areas of Armenia, build  confidence on the ground, and ensure an environment conducive to  normalisation efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan supported by the  EU. Sanctions are only one of the EU's tools to promote the  objectives of the Common Foreign and Security Policy and are not  being considered in this case. The EU's efforts with Armenia and  Azerbaijan are focussed on achieving solutions through dialogue, to  which the leaders of both countries have expressed their commitment."  

Since December 12, 2022, for 51 days now, the Azerbaijani side, under  a far-fetched environmental pretext, blocked the only road connecting  Artsakh with the outside world. The population of the NKR has been in  a blockade for the second month, deprived of basic means of  subsistence. All this is happening against the backdrop of the tacit  encouragement of the civilized community of these inhumane actions of  Azerbaijan. Since January 9, Artsakh has been deprived of the  opportunity to receive electricity from Armenia, due to the  destructive actions of Azerbaijan. Rolling blackouts occur on a daily  basis in the republic. Moreover, from noon on January 12, the enemy  side also interrupted the communication cable that provides the  country's population with Internet and telephone communications. It  was restored only on January 14. The enemy periodically hinders the  gas supply to Artsakh.