We are acutely aware of the aggressive rhetoric and military build-up  of Azerbaijan threatening the Republic of Armenia - MEP

ArmInfo. Armenian MP Taguhi Tovmasyan posted the following message on her Facebook account: 

Ms. Kalyurand, the Head of the Delegation on Relations with the South  Caucasus, has responded to my correspondences warning about the  security challenges threatening Armenia and Artsakh, the atrocities  of Azerbaijan. 

In her reply letter she has assured the full attention of the  European Parliament to the situation of the Republic of Artsakh and  the population forcibly displaced from there, as well as to the  dangers threatening Armenia itself. Specifically, Ms. Kalyurand  noted: 

"Dear Ms Tovmasyan, 

"The President of the European Parliament, Ms Roberta Metsola, has  asked me, in my capacity of Chair of the Delegation for relations  with the South Caucasus, to reply to your letter of 21 August 2023.  In the light of the Azerbaijani attack of 19 September 2023 and its  dramatic consequences for the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, I wish  to assure you of the full attention of the European Parliament to the  situation of Nagorno-Karabakh and its displaced population, as well  as to the threats posed to Armenia itself. In a statement released on  19 September by leading MEPs, as well as in Parliament's resolution  of 5 October 2023, we condemned in the strongest terms the  pre-planned and unjustified military attack and called for targeted  sanctions against responsible individuals in the Azerbaijani  government. 

"As you know, in our previous resolutions and statements, we had  already unequivocally condemned and demanded sanctions for the  inhuman blockade of the Lachin Corridor, perpetrated in blatant  violation of the 2020 ceasefire statement and of the orders of the  International Court of Justice. Let me express my heartfelt  condolences with regard to the loss of lives of Karabakh Armenians  due to this military attack and its aftermath, including the tragic  fuel depot explosion near Stepanakert. 

"I also express my deep solidarity with the people who have been  forced to flee their homes. This should include international  presence on the ground to provide transparency and reassurance, and  also to ensure other priority tasks such as the preservation of  cultural heritage. We are acutely aware of the aggressive rhetoric  and military build-up of Azerbaijan threatening the Republic of  Armenia. 

"The refusal of Azerbaijan's President to attend the EU-facilitated  meeting in the framework of the meeting of the European Political  Community in Granada is regrettable in this respect, as it once again  shows the lack of commitment in Baku to seek sustainable peace. This  is also why we are calling for a comprehensive review of the EU's  relations with Azerbaijan. While we trust in and call for the  resumption of the peace talks, "business as usual" with Baku is  clearly no longer acceptable. In this time of need when your country  faces a number of external threats, the European Parliament  reiterates its unwavering support to Armenia's sovereignty, democracy  and territorial integrity. It seeks a substantial increase of the EU  assistance to Armenia, beyond the immediate needs of humanitarian  aid. 

"We believe that this should, under certain conditions, also include  support from the European Peace Facility. Finally, let me point out  that I welcome Armenia's recent ratification of the Rome Statute of  the International Criminal Court. This is an important step in favour  of international justice, which sends a clear message to potential  aggressors and brings Armenia yet closer to the European Union."