Nagorno-Karabakh: MEPs call for EU sanctions on Azerbaijan, say condemnation is not enough

euronews (in English)

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) denounced the EU’s inaction in response to the unfolding Nagorno-Karabakh crisis on Wednesday, calling on the bloc to impose economic sanctions on Azerbaijan.

Transcript

00:00 Members of the European Parliament`s Foreign Affairs Committee are demanding EU sanctions

00:06 against Azerbaijan after the country carried out a one-day military attack in the Nagorno-Karabakh

00:12 region.

00:13 MEPs condemned the violence and called for swiftly adopted punitive measures, including

00:18 the cutting off of gas imports from Baku.

00:23 And I think that's very positive that the European Parliament is largely united on these

00:30 issues.

00:31 From ECR to the Greens or the other way around, including all the other democratic groups,

00:37 we have taken the same position.

00:41 Indeed, the EU should act and sanctions, including the stopping of importation of gas, should

00:53 be steps that we take.

00:57 Many MEPs recalled that last July, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

01:01 visited Azerbaijan for gas talks, where she praised the country as a reliable partner.

01:07 You are indeed a crucial energy partner for us and you have always been reliable.

01:13 For French MEP Nathalie Loiseau, EU leaders ignored past warnings about Azeri leadership

01:18 aims in the region.

01:20 She called for a tougher line with Baku.

01:23 This is at the same time as the EU`s diplomatic efforts to mediate between Azerbaijan and

01:27 Armenia were failing.

01:30 I am calling the member states to realize what they have not done and to take action

01:35 rapidly, swiftly, because their weakness and absence of action has been understood by Aliyev

01:42 as a green light to move forward and listen to what he says, listen to what his ministers

01:49 say.

01:50 They don't want only to have Nagorno-Karabakh on its knees.

01:55 They are not even talking about Armenia now.

01:58 They call it Western Azerbaijan.

02:01 What other catastrophe are we waiting for before we take action?

02:06 A ceasefire between the two sides was allegedly reached on Wednesday.

02:10 But a European Commission spokesperson says that any kind of sanctions against Azerbaijan

02:14 would need the unanimous support of all 27 EU member states.

02:18 Thank you.

02:21 (whooshing)

02:23 (whooshing)

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