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Interview with Lars Patrick Berg MEP on the conflict in Karabakh

In an interview with Italian magazine Tempi, Lars Patrick Berg MEP discusses the conflict in Karabakh.

He says:

“The EU should help the Armenians. Now we are strengthening the Azerbaijani Aliyev regime.”

“A cynic might think that President von der Leyen thinks the gas deliveries are more important than the lives of Armenians. Aliyev has never been trustworthy: we need sanctions.”

“It’s about the Azerbaijani government’s approach. Territorial integrity versus self-government/minority protection of the Karabakh Armenians could have been the subject of negotiations (years ago).

Now “the law of the strongest” rules, with all the negative side effects.”

Writing for Al Monitor on the conflict, Amberin Zaman notes:

“Despite having peace observers along the cease-fire lines, the European Union has been cautious because of its enhanced need for Azeri oil stemming from sanctions on Russian energy, condemning Baku for the military operation but taking no direct action against it.

Similarly, Secretary of State Antony Blinken reaffirmed US “support for Armenia’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity” and expressed “the United States’ deep concern for the ethnic population in Nagorno-Karabakh,” according to a readout of his call with Pashinyan Saturday.

Blinken additionally called for Azerbaijan to “protect civilians and uphold its obligation to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh and to ensure its forces comply with international humanitarian law.” But he did not condemn Azerbaijani aggression either, likely because of the role the country plays in helping to contain Iran.

Adding to this grim picture are the troubles faced by Armenia’s stoutest ally in the United States Congress, Sen. Robert Menendez. The New Jersey Democrat was forced to step down as Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee after being indicted by federal prosecutors in an alleged bribery scheme involving his wife, Nadine, who is an ethnic Armenian, and three businessmen to benefit the Egyptian government. Many of his home constituents are ethnic Armenians.”