Darren O'Rourke
Question:5. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if the situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh region was discussed at the most recent EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting. [43642/23]
View answerTuesday, 10 October 2023
Questions (5)
Written answers
The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh remains a matter of grave concern to me and to my EU counterparts, particularly in light of the fallout from the military action initiated by Azerbaijan in the region on 19 September. Ireland’s focus remains on ensuring the welfare and protection of any civilians who remain in Nagorno-Karabakh, and of those who have fled to Armenia.
An informal EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting took place in Kyiv on 2 October with the participation of the Ukrainian Foreign Minister. Discussion at that meeting naturally focused on the EU’s response to Russia’s continued military aggression against Ukraine.
The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh was discussed at meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council on 31 August in Toledo, on 26 June in Luxembourg and on 22 May in Brussels. The discussions at these meetings centred on concerns for the humanitarian welfare of civilians in the region in the context at that time of the obstruction of movement along the Lachin corridor. My EU partners and I had called on Azerbaijan to guarantee freedom of movement along the Lachin corridor, in line with the 22 February 2023 Order of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The situation has escalated significantly since then following Azerbaijan’s military actions in the region on 19-20 September, which has resulted in over 100,000 Karabakh Armenians fleeing the region for Armenia. The fact that the overwhelming majority of Karabakh Armenians have now left Nagorno-Karabakh is alarming. Ireland was clear in our condemnation of the military escalation, calling for an immediate ceasefire and for a return to dialogue.
In light of these developments, the situation is set to be discussed at the next meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg on 23 October. I intend to reiterate our concerns and call for a continued coordinated EU approach, with the needs of civilians at its core. The right of Karabakh Armenians to return to their homes and to live there without fear must be upheld by Azerbaijan.
In respect of humanitarian assistance, European Commission has announced an additional package of humanitarian aid of €10.45 million to support vulnerable people remaining in Nagorno-Karabakh, and those who have been displaced by the conflict. This is in addition to the €20.8 million of EU humanitarian assistance already allocated to the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis since 2020.
I will also continue to support the EU’s active role in efforts to resolve the longstanding conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, to ensure a sustainable and comprehensive peace in the region.