Mass exodus of Armenians “under the eye of a complicit Russia”

France estimated on Tuesday that the “huge” exodus of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh, following the victorious Azerbaijani offensive, is taking place “under the complicit eyes of Russia”, which deployed a peacekeeping force in 2020 in this breakaway region.

• Read also: Karabakh: More than 13 thousand refugees and 20 dead in an explosion

• Read also: Thousands of Nagorno-Karabakh residents have taken refuge in Armenia

• Read also: The Prime Minister of Armenia considers his country’s current alliances “ineffective”

“We note with great concern the mass exodus of Armenians that is taking place under the eyes of a complicit Russia,” Anne-Claire Legendre, spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry, said during a press conference. She reminded that Paris will hold “Azerbaijan fully responsible for the fate of the Armenian population.”

Russia sponsored the ceasefire agreement that ended hostilities in 2020 and has since deployed peacekeeping forces there, which has not prevented Azerbaijan’s attack on the separatists.

The spokesman also noted that France has provided its “support to Armenia,” which is striving to receive more than 13,000 people coming from Nagorno-Karabakh.

She recalled that Paris had already provided humanitarian aid worth 3 million euros and that it wanted to “provide additional aid.” France is “ready to send medical and emergency aid.”

In response to a question about the meeting held Tuesday in Brussels on this issue, the spokesman stressed that the European position was “clear,” after condemning the attack carried out by Baku last week and requesting the reopening of the Lachin Corridor, the only road linking Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.

She stressed that “consultations are continuing with our European partners.” He added: “We will have the opportunity to pursue them in Granada,” southern Spain, at the beginning of October.

The European Union received senior representatives of Armenia and Azerbaijan on Tuesday.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev are expected to participate in the meeting of the European Political Community, which includes about fifty European countries, whether members of the European Union or not, on October 5 in Grenada.

France Press agency