During Tuesday’s European Parliament debates on the situation created by Azerbaijan’s blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Nathalie Loiseau (France) asked Josep Borrell, High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission, what the guarantees were that Azerbaijan does not sell Russian natural gas to the EU.
Loiseau recalled that about a year ago, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, had called Azerbaijan a “reliable” partner and asked if this is the reason why the European Commission is not doing anything to help the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh.
She emphasized that Azerbaijan itself cannot produce a sufficient amount of natural gas, and whether it will eventually turn out that Baku is transporting the natural gas imported from Russia to the EU.
In response, Borrell stated that the EU-Azerbaijan energy partnership “has not affected the European Union and its position in relation to the conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the slightest.”
“The European Union has a very balanced position, which is recognized by both sides of the conflict. And that enabled us, as a good, honest mediator, to contribute to the settlement of this specific conflict,” the EU foreign policy chief said, adding that the aforesaid energy partnership is not implemented at the expense of criticism of Azerbaijan in the matter of human rights.
