Armenia – Catherine Colonna’s telephone conversation with her counterpart (15 August 2023)

Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, spoke on the telephone to her Armenian counterpart, Mr Ararat Mirzoyan, on 15 August 2023 ahead of the United Nations Security Council meeting, which will be held on 16 August, about the very serious humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh resulting from Azerbaijan’s blockade of the Lachin Corridor.

The Minister voiced France’s deep concern at a time when Nagorno-Karabakh’s population has been suffering the consequences of this situation for more than eight months. She deplored Azerbaijan’s ongoing blockade, which contravenes the commitments undertaken in the ceasefire agreement and jeopardizes the negotiating process. She stressed that the unresolved issues can be settled only through negotiation in order to achieve a fair, lasting peace, as the Minister said during her visits to Azerbaijan and Armenia on 27 and 28 April 2023.

The Minister repeated her call for the restoration of the free movement of goods, persons and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions, and of the continuous supply of gas and electricity to the population. She said that Azerbaijan had to comply with its international obligations, in particular to implement the provisional measures indicated by the International Court of Justice in its Order of 22 February, which are binding.

The Minister assured her counterpart that France is fully mobilized in support of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh, and will contribute an additional €3 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross’s humanitarian action.

Finally, the two ministers also discussed the gunfire which occurred today on the Armenian border during an EU Monitoring Capacity [to Armenia] (EUMA) patrol. The Minister voiced her concern about these incidents and lent her full support to the European mission.