26 Amendments of Attila ARA-KOVÁCS related to 2021/2230(INI)
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Nagorno-Karabakh warconflict and the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan haveAzerbaijan incursion into sovereign territory of Armenia and resulted in tens of thousands of casualties, immense destruction and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people while the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has not been resolved yet;
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas periodical deadly military confrontations between Azerbaijan and Armenia continuethe trilateral statement of 9 November 2020 has not been fully implemented and the ceasefire continues to be repeatedly violated; whereas the 9 November 2020 ceasefire agreement, introduced after the 44-day war triggered by Azerbaijan in 2020, has been violated several times resulting in more casualties;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas a sustainable normalisation of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan requires that all violence cease and that all the root causes of conflict be addressed, in particular guaranteeing the rights and security of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas Russia’s militarywar of aggression against Ukraine has had implications for the South Caucasus and has further complicated the security situation in the region;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict, which over the years has caused immense suffering and destruction, has significantly hampered the socio-economic development and stability of the whole South Caucasus region; is convinced that a durable and sustainable peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan cannot be achieved through military means but requires a comprehensive political settlement in accordance with international law, including the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, the 1975 OSCE Helsinki Final Act and the OSCE Minsk Group’s 2009 Basic Principles; recalls that the root cause of the conflict, which is the situation and security of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh and the status of the formerly autonomous region, remains unresolved;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Strongly condemns the large-scale military attackggression by Azerbaijan in September 2022 against multiple targets in the sovereign territory of Armenia and its consequences for the peace processwhich constituted a serious breach of the ceasefire and contradicted earlier commitments, including those made in the framework of EU-mediated talks; condemns military incursions over non- delimited border since May 2021, urges the return of all forces to positions held before 12 May 2021 and stresses that the latest September aggression has no direct link to the long-lasting conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh; reiterates that the territorial integrity of Armenia and Azerbaijan must be fully respected and underlines the EU’s readiness to be more actively involved in settling the region’s protracted conflicts;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to fully implement the tripartite ceasefire agreement of 9 November 2020 and to urgently implement measures to prepare their respective populations for peaceful coexistence; callinsists on the Azerbaijani authorities to avoid using inflammatory rhetoric which threatens to undermine the peace processurgent need to refrain from any hostile rhetoric or actions that may be perceived as inciting hatred or outright violence or as supporting impunity, or that risk undermining the efforts to establish and promote an atmosphere conducive to trust and reconciliation, cooperation and sustainable peace;
Amendment 107 #
3a. Urges the governments of both countries to fully engage in the drafting of a peace treaty that should address the security of the Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh, the return of internally displaced persons and refugees and the protection of cultural, religious and historical heritage; welcomes in this regard the meetings of the foreign affairs ministers of both countries;
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3b. Stresses that the legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh should be determined and accepted by both Armenia and Azerbaijan in order to secure the lasting settlement of the conflict; in this context underlines the need for such negotiations to take place under the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group with active participation of its co-chairs and in close cooperation with the EU;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Recalls that the EU’s passive stance during and immediately after the 2020 war gave other regional actors, such as Russia and Turkey, the opportunity to gain influence; strongly supports, therefore, the initiative taken by the President of the European Council Charles Michel to convene and mediate bilateral meetings of the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Brussels and encourages the work on the ground of the EU’s special representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia; urges the governments of both countries to fully engage in the drafting of a peace treaty and welcomes in this regard the meetings of the foreign affairs ministers of both countries;
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Takes note of the initial discussions on the process of border delimitation; welcomes the agreement to deploy a civilian EU mission to build trust and contribute to and encourages both sides to continue to do so even more intensively; welcomes the agreement reached on the quadrilateral meeting between President Aliyev, Prime Minister Pashinyan, President Macron and President Michel on 6 October 2022 within the framework of the European Political Community meeting in Prague to deploy a civilian EU mission to monitor the situation in the border regions of Armenia and Azerbaijan, to support confidence-building by monitoring adherence to the ceasefire and to support the work of the border commissions;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5a. Welcomes Armenia’s willingness to facilitate the mission on their territory and calls on Azerbaijan to allow the presence of the EU mission on its side of the border as well; calls on the EU to play a more pro-active way and to consider prolonging and strengthening the mission as it contributes to increase security in the region while at the same time increases visibility of the EU in the region;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Continues to be concerned about the fate of Armenian prisoners, both military and civilian, detained during and after the conflict and still held by Azerbaijan and welcomes the release of some of them; demands the immediate and unconditional release of all the remaining detaineesWelcomes the release of some of the Armenian prisoners detained by Azerbaijan and demands the immediate and unconditional release of all the remaining prisoners, both military and civilian, detained during and after the conflict, including those captured during the recent military confrontations, and that they be treated in accordance with international humanitarian law;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Strongly insists thatUrges Azerbaijan and Armenia to refrain from destroying cultural, religious or historical heritage; calls for theaccountability regarding such actions; calls for preservation and restoration of damaged sites in accordance with UNESCO standards and indications; calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to quickurgently allow and facilitate a UNESCO mission to visit both countries without preconditions; stresses that the destruction of cultural heritage increases tension and hatred between countries and contributes to destabilization of the region and thereby undermines the efforts of the bilateral talks held recently;
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Encourages increased bilateral contacts between the political authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan as well as between their civil societies and therefore calls on the Commission to support civil society organisations in Armenia and Azerbaijan that genuinely contribute to reconciliation; welcomes the agreement from 31st October 2022 in Sochi, between Armenia and Azerbaijan, to refrain from the threat or use of force, to discuss and resolve all problematic questions solely on the basis of mutual recognition of sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders by the UN Charter and the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration and encourages Armenia and Azerbaijan to act accordingly;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10a. Notes that the unblocking of regional transport and communication links will present a significant opportunity for socio-economic development in the entire South Caucasus region; stresses that this needs to be done in full respect of the sovereignty of both countries and based on the principle of reciprocity; underlines that, as part of the trilateral ceasefire agreement, both countries agrees to unblock connections between Nakhitchevan and Azerbaijan and to secure connections between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Supports the normalisation of relations between Armenia and Turkey andin the interest of reconciliation, regional stability and security as well as socio- economic development; welcomes the progress achieved so far; calls for the speedy implementation of agreements reached by the special representatives; calls on both sides to engage in the process in good faith and without preconditions;
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on Armenia to consider diversifying its security partnershipEncourages Armenia, in order to ensure better protection of its sovereignty and territorial integrity, to consider the possibility of diversifying its partnerships and potential security alliances, as its long-standing reliance on Russia and its allies in the Collective Security Treaty Organization has proved insufficient;
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Welcomes the full entry into force of CEPA on 1 March 2021 and Armenia’s commitment to its implementation; welcomes the fact that the government recognises CEPA as a strategic blueprint for key reforms in Armenia; appreciates progress made and calls on the EU- Armenia Partnership Council to work closely together on implementation of ongoing and future reforms;
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the early parliamentary elections of 2021 which confirmed the strength of democracy in Armenia and the support of its people for the reform agenda; encourages the government to continue implementing reforms, despite the difficult international context and the challenges Armenia is facing in order to strengthen democratic institutions, the rule of law and the independence of judiciary; reiterates that the EU is the largest donor supporting Armenia’s reform process;
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Encourages Armenia to continue its efforts to implement reforms and strengthen democracy, rule of law and good governance; appreciates progress already made; calls on Armenia to step up the implementation of justice and anti- corruption reforms and to undertake steps necessary to better protect human rights, especially women´s rights and rights of minorities, including LGBTIQ people; takes note of the reports of certain NGOs and representatives of opposition revealing the potential risk of regress at least in some areas; urges the government to make visible progress; calls on Armenia to continue cooperation with the EU on the implementation of reforms;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Underlines the important role of civil society in the shaping and implementation of key reforms; underlines the important role that non-governmental organisations and human rights activists play in the protection of democracy and human rights;
Amendment 242 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Notes that over the last 10 years, the volume of Armenia-EU bilateral trade has been increasing; in this context encourages the EU and Armenia to continue to enhance their economic and trade relations;
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Reiterates its concerns regarding the ongoing operation of the Metsamor nuclear power plant; calls for the swift adoption of a road map or action plan for the closure and safe decommissioning of the plant; welcomes the visit of the Director General of the IAEA to Armenia in October 2022 and encourages the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority to foster the mutual cooperation; urges Armenia to undertake any steps necessary to bring the Metsamor nuclear powerplant up to the international standards to ensure safe and secure operation at least for the necessary transitional period until adequate replacement alternative is fully operational and energy security is guaranteed; in cooperation with international partners calls for creation and adoption of a roadmap leading to safe decommissioning and closure of Metsamor power plant once the conditions are met;
Amendment 259 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Welcomes the Armenian steps already taken concerning the green transformation and the commitment to 40% reduction of emissions by 2030; encourages Armenia to continue and step up its ambitions in line with the Paris Agreement;
Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)
Paragraph 21 b (new)
21b. Welcomes the efforts of Armenia to increase energy security, diversify energy sources and increase the deployment of renewables, taking into account that natural gas imports from Russia still represent over 80% and bilateral cooperation between Armenia and Iran on energy exchange;