EU voices concern over tensions between Armenia, Azerbaijan

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) - The EU on Friday voiced concerns over tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

In a statement, Nabila Massrali, the European Commission’s foreign affairs spokesperson, said: “The EU has been closely following growing tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the past few weeks.”

Referring to the mountain road that links Armenia to the Karabakh region, Massrali warned that the “total blockage of the Lachin corridor” is "very worrying".

“It directly threatens the livelihoods of the local population and raises serious fears of a potential humanitarian crisis,” she stressed.

Massrali reaffirmed that the “EU continues to be engaged at the highest political level to help defuse these tensions and find mutually acceptable solutions.”

Relations between the former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991 when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, also known as Upper Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan.

In 2020, Azerbaijan liberated several cities and over 300 settlements and villages that were occupied by Armenia, and the fighting ended with a deal brokered by Russia.

However, clashes between the two sides have erupted several times since then.