Debašu stenogramma

Trešdiena, 2023. gada 18. janvāris - Strasbūra

25.1. Kalnu Karabahas blokādes radītās humanitārās sekas

  Sēdes vadītājs. – Nākamais darba kārtības punkts ir debates par pieciem rezolūciju priekšlikumiem attiecībā uz Kalnu Karabahas blokādes radītajām humanitārajām sekām (2023/2504(RSP))*.

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* Sk. protokolu.

  Marina Kaljurand, author. – Mr President, Commissioner, colleagues, on 15 December last year I made a statement as the Chair of the Delegation for Relations with South Caucasus, expressing concern by the actions of the Azerbaijani state authorities and purported environmental protesters. I urged the Azerbaijani authorities to end the blockade of the Lachin corridor and fulfil its obligations under the trilateral statement of 9 November 2020.

More than a month has passed and Azerbaijani inaction has led to a severe humanitarian crisis, including one death. 120 000 Armenians live under effective blockade. Hundreds of families remain separated. People are deprived of essential goods and services. Children do not go to school.

Recently we witnessed a new wave of high—level inflammatory rhetoric calling to discriminate against Armenians and urging them either to take Azerbaijani citizenship or to leave Nagorno-Karabakh. These statements and inaction are inappropriate for a state that considers itself the EU’s reliable partner.

I urge the Azerbaijani side to respect its international commitments, to end the blockade of the Lachin corridor and humanitarian crisis, to provide unimpeded access of international organisations to Nagorno-Karabakh and to start negotiations on a comprehensive peace agreement that must guarantee all rights and security to the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh.

I would like to thank the co-authors of the resolution and encourage the House to adopt the resolution unanimously.

Finally, I would like to conclude on a personal note and address Azerbaijani officials who have started a witch-hunt against me personally. I want to tell you that you will neither frighten me nor silence me. Your attacks expose your weakness. You have gone below low. But I will not go low. I will follow Michelle Obama’s example. When you go low, I go high.

  Nathalie Loiseau, auteure. – Monsieur le Président, 38. Cela fait 38 jours que 120 000 Arméniens du Haut-Karabakh sont coupés du monde, que la nourriture comme les médicaments viennent à manquer, que les familles sont séparées. 38 jours, mais en vérité, bien davantage, au point que les mots n’ont plus de sens. La Russie prétend maintenir la paix dans le corridor de Latchine. En réalité, ses soldats sont inertes et depuis des années la seule chose que maintient la Russie, c’est un conflit empoisonné.

L’Azerbaïdjan assure qu’il n’y a pas de blocus, juste la présence spontanée de militants écologistes. Est-ce pour cela que l’armée est venue les épauler? Le président Aliev prétend traiter les populations du Haut-Karabakh comme il traite tous les habitants de l’Azerbaïdjan. Mais sur quelle partie de son territoire impose-t-il un blocus à son peuple? Il vient de déclarer: ceux qui ne veulent pas vivre dans le Haut-Karabakh en tant que citoyens de l’Azerbaïdjan peuvent sortir. C’est donc plus qu’un blocus qu’il impose, plus qu’un chantage auquel il se livre, c’est un nettoyage ethnique auquel il aspire.

Et nous, Européens, que faisons-nous? Rien. Pire que rien, en fait. Une déclaration piteuse de l’envoyé spécial de l’Union européenne par laquelle il rassure Bakou: nos observateurs n’ont rien à voir avec ce qui se passe dans le corridor de Latchine. J’ai honte. J’ai honte que la présidente de la Commission ait qualifié de partenaire fiable un pays qui organise sciemment une catastrophe humanitaire. J’observe les dirigeants de l’Union européenne imiter les trois singes chinois, pressés de ne rien voir, de ne rien entendre et de ne rien dire. Ne nous y trompons pas, chers collègues, ce ne sont pas les symboles de notre sagesse, seulement ceux de notre lâcheté.

  Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, author. – Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues, violence only promotes more violence. The best time to end the century—old hate in Nagorno—Karabakh was 30 years ago. The second best time is now.

Why should the Caucasus be a land of hostility when it can be a land of prosperity? Imagine all the possibilities. A train running from Baku to Yerevan and beyond, old friends who became enemies becoming friends again, investments flowing freely and fairly and prosperity built on the solid ground of cooperation, not hate.

For this to happen, 120 000 Armenians who endure an inhuman blockade must be allowed to live in peace and without fear of ethnic cleansing. Azerbaijanis who were too forced to flee should be allowed to return to their homes peacefully.

An honest peace deal can never be brokered by Russia. Russia creates chaos only to benefit from it. Instead, the EU can and should bring sustainable peace to both countries, because it is our European value and interest to see a peaceful and prosperous Caucasus.

  Bert-Jan Ruissen, auteur. – Voorzitter, de situatie in Nagorno-Karabach wordt met de dag schrijnender. Tekorten aan voedsel en medicijnen, stroomstoringen, rantsoenering van levensmiddelen, en dat alles door de aanhoudende blokkade van de Laçın-corridor door zogenaamde milieuactivisten. Dat ondertussen Azerbeidzjan hier achter zit, is overduidelijk. Recent nog voerde Azerbeidzjan aanvallen uit op soeverein Armeens grondgebied. Dit alles moet stoppen.

Nu overduidelijk is dat Rusland het bestand van 2020 niet meer handhaaft, moeten wij onze verantwoordelijkheid nemen door meer Europese waarnemers te sturen naar het gebied, meer druk uit te oefenen op de regering van Bakoe en door actief aan te sturen op de-escalatie en het starten van vredesbesprekingen, met duidelijke garanties voor de rechten en de veiligheid van de Armeense bevolking in Nagorno-Karabach. Noch de Kaukasus noch de EU is gebaat bij nieuw wapengekletter in de regio.

  Martina Michels, Verfasserin. Herr Präsident, meine Damen und Herren! Ja, wir sind uns einig, dass wir die Blockade Bergkarabachs durch Aserbaidschan verurteilen. Aber schon 2020 befanden Analysten und das Rote Kreuz, dass der Waffenstillstand – vom ungeklärten Gefangenenaustausch bis zu den aserbaidschanisch-türkischen Siegesfeiern in Baku – kaum eine Konfliktlösung einleitete.

Ja, die russischen Truppen sichern den Latschin-Korridor nicht. Die frierenden und hungernden Menschen in Bergkarabach hoffen auf eine Luftbrücke, egal, ob von Russland oder der EU. Die EU sollte schleunigst unangemessenes bothsiding, Doppelstandards und Selbstbetrug aus ihrem diplomatischen Arsenal streichen. Denn jeder weiß: Das Gas aus Aserbaidschan hat russische Anteilseigner. Jeder weiß, dass Aserbaidschan diesen Konflikt nicht erst seit dem 12. Dezember eskaliert.

Wenn also unsere Kommissionspräsidentin und Josep Borrell abends in den Spiegel sehen wollen, muss diese humanitäre Katastrophe gemeinsam mit der OSZE und den UN sofort beendet werden. Europäische Zurückhaltung wegen möglicher Gaslieferungen aus Aserbaidschan wäre beschämend.

  Robert Hajšel, on behalf of the S&D Group. – Mr President, dear Commissioner, the ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor, which is the only way to connect Armenian people from Nagorno-Karabakh with the Republic of Armenia, is deeply worrying. The EU has to call on Azerbaijan to take all measures to allow the free movement of people and humanitarian goods through this corridor.

The humanitarian situation in the region, already aggravated by a disruption of the gas supplies, further worsens and can soon be transformed into a humanitarian catastrophe if the blockade does not end immediately. Around 120 000 people don’t have access to essential goods and services such as medication, food and fuel.

We have to strongly condemn the blockade of the Lachin Corridor and urgently call on Azerbaijan’s authorities and the peacekeeping forces deployed in the region to respect and implement the trilateral statements from 2020 and to ensure that access through the corridor remains open.

We know that both countries, and especially Armenia, are far from being satisfied with the implementation of the 2020 ceasefire. They should undertake genuine negotiation to find a sustainable and peaceful settlement that would ensure fair and lasting peace and stability in the region. But in the meantime, the Lachin Corridor needs to be reopened now.

  Klemen Grošelj, on behalf of the Renew Group. – Mr President, the blockade of the Lachin corridor has humanitarian as well as geopolitical consequences for the stability and security of the Southern Caucasus.

Azerbaijan’s aggression on sovereign Armenian territory, in combination with the Nagorno—Karabakh blockade, are following the pattern we have witnessed in the past in the Balkan wars and also in the tragic war of Russian aggression in Ukraine. With these acts Azerbaijan is in breach of the UN Charter and preventing any possibility for a comprehensive peace agreement, which must guarantee the rights and security of the Armenian population of Nagorno—Karabakh, the return of all displaced people and the liberation of detainees in order to ensure lasting peace between the two nations.

This is why Azerbaijan must immediately reopen the Lachin corridor to enable freedom of movement and ensure access to essential goods and services, release all detainees and fully withdraw its armed forces from Armenian sovereign territory. At the same time, the international community should negotiate the replacement of Russian peacekeepers with international peacekeepers under the UN mandate.

  Markéta Gregorová, on behalf of the Verts/ALE Group. – Mr President, dear colleagues, the problem is quite clear: the current blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh leads to many people being left without the basic needs, causing a severe medical situation, risking starvation and endangering any agreed commitments. Whatever the reasons for the blockade, no protests should deny Nagorno-Karabakh residents their access to freedom of movement and necessary goods.

Moreover, in line with its commitments, it is Azerbaijan’s responsibility to ensure that the Lachin corridor strategic road remains open, whether genuine environmental concerns exist. I insist that Azerbaijan refrains from undermining the corridors functioning and allows for the unhindered movement of goods and civilians. And I urge both countries that only continuous peaceful dialogue without sabotaging can lead to consistent peace.

  Εμμανουήλ Φράγκος, εξ ονόματος της ομάδας ECR. – Κύριε Πρόεδρε, αν υπήρχαν φυσικά φαινόμενα —φωτιές, σεισμοί, πλημμύρες— θα είχε υπάρξει μια αερογέφυρα διάσωσης. Βλέπουμε τον απάνθρωπο βασανισμό 120 χιλιάδων ανθρώπων. Χρειαζόμαστε διασωστική πρωτοβουλία. Χαίρομαι που η πλειοψηφία του Σώματος αναγνωρίζει και καταγγέλλει το αζερικό σχέδιο. Η αζερική δικτατορία φυλακίζει ή σιγάζει τους Αζέρους αντιφρονούντες. Αν υπήρχε δημοκρατικό καθεστώς που θα σεβόταν τα δικαιώματα των Αρμενίων, ίσως η ιστορική εξέλιξη να ήταν διαφορετική. Όμως το Αζερμπαϊτζάν δίνει σήμερα στους Αρμένιους του Ναγκόρνο Καραμπάχ τρεις επιλογές: ή να εγκαταλείψουν τις πατρογονικές εστίες τους ή να παραδοθούν στο Αζερμπαϊτζάν και να εγκαταλείψουν την ταυτότητά τους ή να παραδοθούν και να έχουν την τύχη των Αρμενίων της Τουρκίας του 1919. Αν θέλουμε να λεγόμαστε άνθρωποι, η διάσωση των Αρμενίων με αερογέφυρα παροχής ανθρωπιστικής βοήθειας είναι το ελάχιστο που οφείλουμε να κάνουμε μέχρι το τέλος της εβδομάδας.

  Fabio Massimo Castaldo (NI). – Mr President, in Nagorno—Karabakh, the guns are currently silent, yet the war is far from being over.

Indeed, after the previous criminal attack to Armenia, we are now seeing one of the worst sides of the war, with a hateful blockade since 30 days of the Lachin corridor from fake Azeri eco—activists that are putting the lives of thousands of people, of children, of women and fragile persons at risk, not due to bombings or gunshots but to starvation and hindered access to medicines. We must seriously step up our force for stopping these atrocities.

First, our monitoring mission should have the mandate to enter the Lachin corridor immediately to verify what is happening on the ground. Yerevan has already granted access to its territories, and we demand Baku do the same without any further delay. Then we must be proactive in ensuring that the affected population receives the necessary humanitarian supplies, organising immediate relief to the region.

If the Baku regime denies access, we have to stand ready for adopting a set of adequate, strong sanctions targeting those responsible for these atrocities. Dear colleagues, in this context, any attempt to undermine access to food amounts to a war crime. We have loudly denounced that in Ukraine, and we must reaffirm that in the same way in Nagorno—Karabakh. When the lives of people are at risk, there is no space, not even a single inch, for double standards.

Catch-the-eye procedure

  Peter van Dalen (PPE). – Voorzitter, de blokkade van de Laçın-corridor is een schandaal. Meer dan honderdduizend mensen hebben nu geen voedsel meer, geen medicijnen. Zieken kunnen niet meer getransporteerd worden. Gas en elektra zijn ook al afgesloten. En dit schandaal komt mede door de Europese Unie. Mevrouw Von der Leyen heeft een gasdeal gesloten met de dictator in Bakoe en die voelt zich nu gesterkt om hier de bulldog uit te hangen.

Dit moet mevrouw Vălean duidelijk mee terugnemen naar huis. Stop met die gasdeal! Die gasdeal moet kappen, want die moedigt Azerbeidzjan alleen maar aan. Verder moeten we een luchtbrug openen naar het getroffen gebied en de mensen in Nagorno-Karabach helpen. En ten slotte sancties tegen Azerbeidzjan. Er is geen dialoog mogelijk met de dictator in Bakoe. Alleen sancties zullen hem weer in zijn hok krijgen.

  Costas Mavrides (S&D). – Mr President, for over a month the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and the outer world has been blocked by self—proclaimed environmentalists from Azerbaijan, joined now with Azerbaijani military personnel.

This blockade has led to a severe humanitarian crisis for over 120 000 Armenians, who stay there with no food, no fuel, no medication – and they call that their home for over 2 000 years. This humanitarian crisis was further aggravated by the disruption of the natural gas supply.

This may be another resolution in the European Parliament, but we have another crime committed by Azerbaijanis in the making. For over 120 000 residents in Nagorno—Karabakh – including 30 000 children and 20 000 elderly – with no food, no medicine, no schooling this debate may be their only window for salvation.

  Jordi Solé (Verts/ALE). – Mr President, blocking access to Nagorno-Karabakh and depriving 120 000 Armenians living there of access to essential goods is an act of barbarism. Doing so under the disguise of alleged environmental NGOs is an act of cynicism. And doing it by cutting off the Lachin corridor is a mockery to the trilateral ceasefire statement of 9 November 2020.

People in Artsakh have the right to live in peace, dignity and security in their own places. It’s time to reach a peace agreement that guarantees the rights and security of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh and settles its final status, taking into account the will of their own people. The EU should step up its involvement to reach such a final deal.

  Silvia Sardone (ID). – Signor Presidente, onorevoli colleghi, l'Unione europea ha dimenticato le sofferenze del popolo armeno e ignora la crisi umanitaria nel Nagorno Karabakh.

Nessuno considera la situazione dei 120 000 armeni che vivono lì. Stanno chiudendo asili e scuole materne perché non c'è alcuna possibilità di offrire pasti ai bambini. I beni di prima necessità stanno finendo, i supermercati sono quasi vuoti, non ci sono più medicine, idem il carburante e anche gli ospedali sono in difficoltà. Fino a quando gli abitanti di questa zona potranno resistere?

È inaccettabile questa situazione, questa continua persecuzione nei confronti degli armeni, che sono dimenticati in quanto deboli di fronte all'alleanza Azerbaigian-Turchia. È ora che l'Unione europea abbia il coraggio di difendere questa popolazione e di chiedere il rispetto dei diritti umani con parole forti di condanna.

  Miriam Lexmann (PPE). – Mr President, dear colleagues, for over a month now, an Aliyev regime-sponsored group who pretend to be environmental activists are blocking the corridor between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. As a result, the humanitarian situation is becoming dire. Basic food and medicine are running out and even fuel is in short supply. Many lives are in danger.

The strategy of the dictatorship in Baku is clear. However, also we bear responsibility for this situation. For years we have neglected the Caucasus region. Because of our energy deals, we have even shut our eyes to the human rights situation in Azerbaijan and Aliyev’s aggression against Armenia.

In this time, we need to invest in serious diplomatic effort to help solve this decades—long conflict, work with our partners to establish an international peacekeeping mission and provide immediate humanitarian aid.

(End of catch-the-eye procedure)

  Adina-Ioana Vălean, Member of the Commission. – Mr President, honourable Members of the European Parliament, the EU has been closely following developments around the Lachin corridor since the beginning of December 2022.

In a statement issued on 13 December, the EU called on the Azerbaijani authorities to ensure freedom and security of movement along the corridor, in line with commitments deriving from the trilateral statement of 9 November 2020. Restrictions to such freedom of movement are causing significant distress among the local population. The EU is increasingly alarmed about the negative humanitarian impact resulting from the lack of food, medicine and other essential goods and medical services, in addition to regular disruptions to energy supplies and telecommunications.

The EU’s humanitarian funding for 2022 amounts to EUR 3.6 million that has been entirely given to the ICRC, being the only partner on the ground able to access Nagorno-Karabakh. The programme focuses on two areas for its intervention: economic security, which includes programmes to provide conflict—affected people with material and financial support to help them meet their basic needs; second, actions against weapon contamination, with programmes to ensure conflict—affected people are aware of the dangers posed by mines and the explosive remnants of the war and how to safely behave around these.

The current situation is not sustainable and creates tensions that run contrary to the much—needed confidence—building efforts. The EU reiterates that other concerns can and should be addressed through dialogue and consultations with the parties involved. It calls for a return to negotiation and for the mounting pressure on the civilian population to cease without further delay. The EU stands ready to contribute to all efforts to build confidence and to address concerns through facilitation and dialogue.

  Sēdes vadītājs. – Debates ir slēgtas. Balsošana notiks rītdien.

Rakstiski paziņojumi (171. pants)

  Theresa Muigg (S&D), schriftlich. – Seit Jahrzehnten leidet die unschuldige Bevölkerung von Nagorno-Karabakh unter Kriege, Embargos und brutaler Verfolgung. Die Internationale Gesellschaft konnte bis jetzt Armenien und Aserbaidschan nicht überzeugen, den Disput in friedlichen Verhandlungen zu lösen. Das armenische Volk leidet bis heute. Es ist Zeit, dass die internationale Gemeinschaft, insbesondere wir, die Europäische Union, endlich unsere Augen öffnen, und effektive Schritte unternehmen, um weiteres Leiden der Zivilisten zu verhindern. Jene, die die Menschenrechte verletzen, und den Frieden bedrohen, müssen mit internationalen Maßnahmen und Sanktionen konfrontiert werden. In Artsakh sollte ab sofort eine internationale humanitäre Luftbrücke organisiert werden, die Lebensmittel und andere lebensnotwendige Güter an die lokale Bevölkerung liefert und diejenigen evakuiert, deren Leben in Gefahr ist.