Austrian Parliament Unanimously Adopts Resolution Condemning Azerbaijan’s Ethnic Cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh

VIENNA — The Austrian Parliament on October 19 has unanimously adopted a resolution condemning Azerbaijan’s military actions in Nagorno Karabakh, calling for support to Armenia, protection of Armenian cultural and religious heritage, and ensuring international access to Nagorno Karabakh.

The resolution, which was supported by all five parliamentary factions, calls on “the Federal Government, especially the Foreign Minister, should continue to represent this position in all international committees and in bilateral discussions and work for de-escalation and the resumption of dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia. In addition, it must be ensured that the population remaining in Nagorno-Karabakh is given unrestricted access to vital goods in the long term and that minority rights and cultural assets are protected”.

“For urgently needed humanitarian aid, international humanitarian organizations also need unhindered access to Nagorno-Karabakh. In order to further stabilize the refugee situation, Armenia, as a priority country for Austrian development cooperation, should continue to receive the necessary funds, according to the application,” the resolution emphasizes.

“The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is oppressive,” said Harald Troch (SPÖ).

“A 3,000-year-old culture is being wiped out and bulldozed. Solidarity is required here. The world is confronted with a large number of humanitarian crises,” said Robert Laimer (SPÖ).

“This requires a coordinated approach and neutral states would play an important role as bridge builders and mediators, Laimer said, calling for called for a “more committed foreign policy” by Austria.

“Society should not get used to the madness that happens every day,” Melanie Erasim (SPÖ) said.

“The international community has failed in Nagorno-Karabakh since the collapse of the Soviet Union and should have done more for it,” emphasized Dagmar Belakowitsch (FPÖ). “Even in the current ethnic cleansing, the international community only watched,” Belakowitsch said, stressing that Azerbaijan should be condemned.

“The expulsion of Armenians from their historic homeland should not go unpunished,” said Ewa Ernst-Dziedzic (Greens). “This is a blatant violation of international law. An international mechanism should be set up in Nagorno-Karabakh to monitor the situation and ensure the safe and dignified return of Armenians to their homeland. It is important to ensure that such ethnic cleansing does not take place in the south of Armenia,” she said.