Refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh at a checkpoint in the village of Kornidzor (Armenia), September 24, 2023. IRAKLI GEDENIDZE / Portal
Azerbaijan’s recapture of the pro-Armenian separatist enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh surprised the Europeans. Even more serious, they face a form of impotence in this part of the Caucasus, where they nevertheless hoped to take advantage of Moscow’s waning authority due to the war to avoid a new deadly conflict on the continent. in Ukraine.
Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers The surrender of Nagorno-Karabakh after the coup of Azerbaijan, a historical turning point
After the lightning offensive in Baku, the local authorities signed a ceasefire agreement on September 18 and 19 in which they agreed to lay down their arms. A week later, a senior European diplomat still said he was “surprised” by the sudden offensive by Azerbaijani forces in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, where tens of thousands of Armenians still lived. “However, it was very predictable,” argues Bob Deen, a Dutch researcher who specializes in the region at the Clingendael Institute in The Hague. For nine months, military action was being prepared with the blockade of the Lachin corridor connecting Armenia with the region and the subsequent increase in hostile statements from the Azerbaijani authorities. It was almost written. »
While France, the United States and the European Union (EU) condemned the use of force in the South Caucasus, it took almost a week for the Twenty-Seven to agree on a joint statement, which they delivered to the United Nations on Friday, September 22 presented by Chief Diplomat Josep Borrell during a debate on the issue in the Security Council. And yet Hungary resisted this concise text until the last minute. “We made it after a tough fight,” admits a diplomat.
No condemnation of Baku
While Armenians fear “genocide” and “ethnic cleansing” of the enclave taken over from Baku, this joint statement makes two demands of Azerbaijan. That the Azerbaijani government “guarantees unhindered humanitarian access to civilians in need, in particular through the full reopening of the Lachin Corridor,” and that it “conducts a comprehensive and transparent dialogue with the Armenians of Karabakh to ensure their rights and their rights. “ Security, including their right to live in dignity in their homes. »
On the other hand, the statement does not contain any condemnation of Azerbaijan. “It is a red line for Hungary, which is close to the Aliev regime,” admits a diplomatic source. Likewise, no proposal was made for an observation mission in the Nagorno-Karabakh region to ensure the security of the population. The Armenian government demanded this at the United Nations on Saturday. At the same time, Azerbaijan assured that it would treat the Armenians of Karabakh as “equal citizens”… But will that be enough?
You still have 61.96% of this article left to read. The rest is reserved for subscribers.