Azerbaijan Violates the 2020 Ceasefire Terms: Caroline Cox Addresses the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

Baroness Caroline Cox has addressed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during a hearing titled “Refugees: Mass Displacement” held in the House of Lords. In her speech, Caroline Cox emphasized that she would briefly discuss Nagorno-Karabakh, where historically 80% of the Armenian enclave is now occupied by Azerbaijan.

“In 2020, more than 91,000 people fled from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia, 88% of whom were women and children. More than 40,000 people have been displaced from areas such as Shushi and Hadrut, which remain under Azerbaijani military occupation. I have had the painful experience of visiting the region more than 85 times during the wars of the 1990s and 2020. Last September, I visited the Syunik region of Armenia to witness the suffering caused by the invasion of Azerbaijani armed forces into Armenian territory, which resulted in the displacement of local residents right at the borders of Armenia. Countless refugees describe the pain of losing loved ones, while Azerbaijan continues to violate the terms of the 2020 ceasefire by arresting Armenian soldiers and civilians and committing atrocities, sometimes seizing the phones of prisoners to photograph their horrific acts and sending the images to the victims' families. Refugees also describe the loss of livelihoods, agricultural land, water resources, and other vital infrastructure. Nevertheless, the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh have received almost no support from the British government. The spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General unequivocally stated last May that Azerbaijan, despite calls from the international community and specifically from the UN, has not allowed unimpeded access for humanitarian aid to Nagorno-Karabakh, and that situation remains unchanged,” Cox stated.

Concluding her remarks, Caroline Cox posed the question: “Can the government confirm that the United Kingdom will not ignore this plea for assistance and will ensure urgent humanitarian aid for thousands of Armenians displaced by the war?” She urged for greater prioritization of the issues she highlighted and many other challenges arising in similar situations.