Parliament condemns Azerbaijan’s attack on Nagorno-Karabakh

The Cyprus parliament unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the military operations by Azerbaijan against the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Lawmakers called upon the President to intervene on the matter with the European Union and President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, who is scheduled to visit Cyprus on October 1.

In the resolution, the House of Representatives strongly denounces Azerbaijan’s aggression and its targeting of the Armenian population in NagornoKarabakh. It calls for de-escalation and the assurance of security conditions for the 120,000 Armenians residing in the region.

Furthermore, it urges Azerbaijan to comply with its international obligations and re-engage in dialogue within the framework of an international peace process to find a lasting solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

The resolution underscores that the international community bears a heavy responsibility to act in a manner that safeguards the safety of those who have surrendered to the Azerbaijani forces and of the entire Armenian population in NagornoKarabakh. It also issued an urgent appeal to the United Nations and the international community to take immediate action to protect the lives and human rights of all residents of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Specifically, it calls upon the international community to ensure the protection of the leadership of the Armenians in NagornoKarabakh, as concerns have arisen about their safety and treatment.

It requests the European Union exert its influence and take decisive action by utilizing the tools at its disposal.

And that Brussels “limits, rather than expand, its energy relations with Azerbaijan and, in general, to demonstrate consistency in its stance, avoiding the logic of double standards”.

The resolution welcomes the urgent convening of a special session of the United Nations Security Council and emphasizes the importance of a clear condemnation of Azerbaijan’s aggression by the international community.

It condemns Turkey’s involvement in the blatant aggression and illegal actions of Azerbaijan, which, “constitute a clear violation of international law and acts of war”.

The resolution expresses unwavering support and solidarity with the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh and the Armenian people.

The region, which had been controlled by Armenians for three decades, was seized by

Azerbaijan last week.

More than half of its majority ethnic Armenian population have now fled, according to officials.

The region is recognised internationally as part of Azerbaijan, but Armenia took control in the 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said he expects there will be no Armenians left in Nagorno-Karabakh in the coming days.

Fears of fresh violence came when Azerbaijan mounted an effective blockade of a vital route into the enclave in December 2022. On 20 September, a ceasefire brought 24 hours of fighting to an end.

But many of the region’s 120,000 ethnic Armenians fear they have no future in Nagorno-Karabakh. Pashinyan said “ethnic cleansing” had started in the region.