BRUSSELS, Oct. 4 (EUROPE PRESS) –
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, has defended this Tuesday in the European Parliament that the energy agreement sealed by the EU with Azerbaijan has no counterparts in the conflict that confronts this country with its neighbor, Armenia.
After the contracts signed between the EU and Azerbaijan by which Baku will supply 50 percent more gas to Europe, the head of community diplomacy has assured that these contracts “have no counterparts and political concessions” in the context of the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
“This energy agreement is not detrimental to any issue related to Human Rights or the democratic problems that have manifested themselves in that country,” said Borrell, who, when asked by MEPs, explained that of the 300 killed in combat in clashes between Armenian and Azeri forces, the majority, 207, are of Armenian troops.
In this sense, the former Spanish minister has singled out Baku for attacking Armenian territory with artillery and drones and for occupying positions within the neighboring country. “This is unacceptable, it does not respect internationally recognized borders”, he underlined, while he acknowledged that he was “terrified” to see the videos showing executions of Armenian soldiers at the hands of Azeri troops.
Regarding the steps that the EU can take, Borrell has pointed to the commission that is working on a delimitation of the border in Upper Karabakh accepted by both parties, a forum that he hopes will meet in Brussels soon and serve to put an end to the crisis that arose in mid-September when Azerbaijan intensified the conflict.
The High Representative has stated that Turkey “must and can” play a constructive role in advancing the dialogue between the two countries, appealing to it to exert its influence to pacify the situation in the Caucasus.