11 September 2017

Following the recent revelations related to the ”Azerbaijani Laundromat”, AGBU Europe calls on EU institutions to review their policy towards the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The recent affair revealed in detail the extent of the undue influence exercised by the government of Azerbaijan on many politicians in Europe. A political follow-up to the recent revelations is now essential. The European institutions in particular must indeed reinforce transparency and mechanisms at all levels in order to ensure that private interests cease to affect the conduct of foreign policy.

The large-scale corruption scheme led by Azerbaijan aimed to prevent European institutions from denouncing the country’s human rights violations. It also aimed to influence European policy on the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a de-facto independent, Armenian-populated territory.

Azerbaijan is indeed enforcing a blockade on Nagorno-Karabakh. It prohibits anyone from entering the territory. The EU has complied with this demand and, as a result, no EU official has travelled there since the 1990’s.

EU policy in all other conflict areas on the European periphery involves defusing tensions by engaging with all parties in conflict. There is no reason to single out Nagorno-Karabakh for special treatment. EU engagement there would relieve its long-suffering population and mark an essential first step towards an EU policy for peace in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Sign the appeal on change.org:

We want Europe in Nagorno-Karabakh

For more information:

Read the briefing: The EU should engage with Nagorno-Karabakh

Watch the video (2’): We want Europe in Nagorno-Karabakh