If Moscow Wanted to Halt the Lachin Blockade, It Would Have Already Done So: French MEP

We expect that UN agencies will be present in Artsakh and the corridor, especially now. This was stated in an interview with CivilNet by Nathalie Loiseau, a French Member of the European Parliament and former Minister for European Affairs of France.

“For far too long, the EU has kept its distance from the conflict. Now, when there is a humanitarian crisis, and Russia is not providing adequate protection to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, the EU and the OSCE must do more. We are looking at the facts and listening to statements. The fact is that despite the presence of Russian ‘peacekeepers,’ the blockade has continued for over 50 days. If Moscow wanted to halt it, it would have already done so.

On November 9, 2020, it was Russia that undertook commitments regarding traffic in Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin corridor, not the EU. I want to remind you that this commitment was recognized by the EU and mentioned during the quadripartite meeting held in Prague last October. Russia's inaction does not harm the EU; it harms the Armenian people. We hear the skepticism of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov regarding the EU's efforts between Armenia and Azerbaijan. But we also see that he is taking the side of Azerbaijan regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh issue: ‘If you have such friends, you don't need enemies,’” she said.

Commenting on the Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiation process, Loiseau noted, “I do not currently see much dynamism in the Minsk Group co-chair format, probably due to Russia's growing isolation. I welcome the progress made during the quadripartite meeting in Prague last October between the President of Azerbaijan, the Prime Minister of Armenia, the Presidents of the European Council and France, Charles Michel and Emmanuel Macron, with strong French involvement. It was at that time that the mission to send observers to the Armenia-Azerbaijan border was agreed upon. It has now been expanded and prolonged, and I believe this is a very positive development. Therefore, in my opinion, this quadripartite format is appropriate.”

When asked if there was anything additional she would like to see in terms of exerting pressure on Baku to lift the blockade, she responded: “My first response would be to insist that there can be no negotiations while the Lachin corridor is blocked. I would also like to see a fact-finding mission urgently sent to the corridor. This would be the role of the UN Security Council—to go, see, and speak out. In that case, we should not dismiss the prospect of adopting a resolution in the UN Security Council.”

She also expressed hope that a stable peace could be established between Azerbaijan and Armenia in less than two years.