PACE Resolution Calls for “Ensuring Free and Safe Movement Through Lachine Corridor”

STRASBOURG — The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe passed a resolution on June 22 on “Ensuring free and safe access through the Lachin Corridor”.

The Azerbaijani delegation made every effort to change or defeat the resolution’s adoption, but they were unsuccessful. Around 60 amendments proposed by them were rejected, and the resolution was adopted.

Contrary to Azerbaijan’s claims, the PACE resolution explicitly states that there is no free and safe movement through the Lachin Corridor.

The resolution primarily addresses the humanitarian and human rights consequences of Azerbaijan’s blockade of the Lachin Corridor. It emphasizes the urgent need for an international fact-finding mission to visit the Lachin Corridor and Nagorno-Karabakh. The resolution calls on Azerbaijan to promptly implement the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) and the International Court of Justice, and urges Azerbaijan to restore electricity and gas supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh. Furthermore, Azerbaijan is urged to abandon the hostile and threatening rhetoric used against Armenians.

The resolution includes the following points, among others:

The Assembly expresses extreme concern about the disruption of free and safe movement through the Lachin Corridor, as well as the deliberate shutdown of electricity and gas supplies.

The Assembly is shocked by Azerbaijan’s leadership’s failure to recognize the serious humanitarian and human rights implications of the current situation.
The Assembly deeply regrets that the PACE rapporteur was not invited to Azerbaijan during their fact-finding visit and was unable to visit the Lachin Corridor.

The Assembly emphasizes that the current situation is unstable and may result in the forced displacement of the Armenian population from their homes and communities if the conflict remains unresolved. In this context, the Assembly calls for urgent attention to the rights and security of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh through dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert, as well as the involvement of neutral international entities in any peace-focused mechanism.

The Assembly calls on Azerbaijan to meet the 2022 deadline without any further extensions for the ECHR interim measures applied on December 21.
The Assembly urges Azerbaijan to promptly implement the decision of the International Court of Justice.

The Assembly calls on Azerbaijan to invite a delegation from the Council of Europe for a fact-finding mission to visit the Lachin Corridor and Nagorno-Karabakh, in order to assess the situation on the ground. The Assembly also calls on Azerbaijan to grant access to other international organizations, including UN institutions, in the region.
The Assembly urges Azerbaijan to adopt a genuinely constructive and peaceful approach towards neighboring Armenia and Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh.
PACE calls on Azerbaijan to make every effort to ensure free and safe movement in both directions through the Lachin Corridor.

PACE calls on Azerbaijan to immediately restore the supply of electricity and gas, and to collaborate with Armenians to establish a new route for gas and power grids that passes through Armenian territory rather than Azerbaijani territory.
The Assembly expresses deep concern about the hostile and threatening rhetoric against Armenians at the highest levels of Azerbaijan’s leadership. Azerbaijan is urged to refrain from such rhetoric and take measures to combat both hate speech, including by public and high-ranking officials, and hate crimes.