51 Amendments of Costas MAVRIDES related to 2021/2231(INI)
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 a (new)
Citation 4 a (new)
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12
Citation 12
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 12 a (new)
Citation 12 a (new)
— having regard to the United Nations resolutions on the ongoing war in Ukraine, namely the ES-11/1 and ES-11/2 of March 2022, ES-11/3 of April 2022 and ES-11/4 of October 2022,
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 14 a (new)
Citation 14 a (new)
— having regard to the European Convention on Human Rights, ratified by Azerbaijan in 2002,
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 18 a (new)
Citation 18 a (new)
— having regard to its resolution of 17 January 2019 on Azerbaijan, notably the case of Mehman Huseynov[1], and to other resolutions on Azerbaijan, in particular those concerning the human rights situation and the rule of law,
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the conflictNagorno-Karabakh conflict and the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan hasve 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 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas deadly military confrontations between Azerbaijan and Armenia continue to erupt periodically; as the ceasefire agreement of November 2020 has been violated multiple times; whereas the latest Azerbaijan’s military aggression of September 2022 has resulted in the occupation of 220 km2 of Armenian sovereign territory, the killing of hundreds of soldiers, and actions that represent war crimes and crimes against humanity such as the extrajudicial execution of Armenian prisoners of war, raping of women, and torture of civilians;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas deadly military confrontations between Azerbaijan and Armeniathe trilateral statement of 9 November 2020 has not been fully implemented and the ceasefire continues to erupt periodicallybe repeatedly violated;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas Russian peace-keepers deployed in the region have been unwilling and unable to prevent further attacks from Azerbaijan, and their presence has been decreasing steadily, especially after the beginning of the Russian criminal war of aggression against Ukraine;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the EU is committed to promoting a South Caucasus region that is secure, stable, peaceful and prosperous, basing its action on the promotion of democracy, rule of law and the respect for human rights; whereas Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine has serious security implications for the region; whereas the Treaty signed between Azerbaijan’s President, Ilham Aliyev, and the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, the day before the begin of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine has brought the relations between these two countries to the level of a fully-fledged alliance;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas the high-level meetings were held in Brussels between President Aliyev and Prime Minister Pashinyan, mediated by President Charles Michel, resulted in encouraging developments;
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. 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 all the population of Nagorno-Karabakh;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F
Recital F
F. whereas Azerbaijan is a reliable and trustworthy supplier of fossil fuels to the EU and whereas it is becoming increasingly important in this role;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas Azerbaijan’s record in terms of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is still unsatisfactory; dramatic with the government continuing to crackdown on critics and dissenting voices and the space for independent activists, NGOs, journalists, human rights defenders and political opposition being virtually extinguished;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H
Recital H
H. whereas Azerbaijan’s record in terms of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is still unsatisfactoryvery negative;
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H a (new)
Recital H a (new)
Ha. whereas, in defiance of the First Article of the Azerbaijani Constitution and the law on freedom of assembly, the Azerbaijani authorities have imposed a ban on street protests by opposition and civil groups; whereas the citizens’ rights to free assembly are severely suppressed by the police and routinely end with the arrests of activists, in particular, those belonging to the political opposition;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital H b (new)
Recital H b (new)
Hb. whereas Russia´s war of aggression against Ukraine has had implications for the South Caucasus and has further complicated the security situation in the region;
Amendment 106 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict has significantly hampered the development and stability of the whole South Caucasus region; is convinced that a 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 Basic Principles; reaffirms that, in order to be effective, a comprehensive peace treaty must include provisions that guarantee the integrity of the Armenian sovereign territory, the safety of Armenian population residing in Nagorno-Karabakh and other conflict- afflicted areas, and the prompt and safe return of refugees and internally displaced people to their homes;
Amendment 107 #
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 development and stability of the whole South Caucasus region; is convinced that a 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 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Strongly condemns the clashes that erupted on 12 Septemberlatest large- scale military aggression by Azerbaijan in September 2022 against multiple targets in the sovereign territory of Armenia which 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 20221 and their consequences for the peace processstresses that the latest September aggression has no link to the long-lasting conflict over Nagorno- Karabakh; denounces any attempts at undermining the peace process and urges all conflict parties to refrain from further use of force; 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 132 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to fully implement the tripartite ceasefire agreement of 9 November 2020; calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to avoid using inflammatory rhetoric and to implement measures to prepare their respective populations for peaceful coexisteninsists on the urgent 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 135 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Urges Armenia and Azerbaijan to fully implement the tripartite ceasefire agreement of 9 November 2020; calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to avoid using inflammatory rhetoric that undermines the peace process and to implement measures to prepare their respective populations for peaceful coexistence; condemns Putin- style's rhetoric by Azeri President Alyiev, who described the Armenian political leadership as fascist in the aftermath of the September 2022 attack;
Amendment 141 #
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 146 #
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 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 comprehensive and mutually acceptable peace treaty and welcomes in this regard the meeting of the foreign affairs ministers of both countries on 30 September in Geneva;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Takes note of the initial progress made on the process of border delimitation and encourages both sides to continue the work; welcomes the agreement to deploy a civilian EU mission to build trust and contribute to the border commissions; 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; welcomes Armenia’s willingness to facilitate the mission on their territory and calls on Azerbaijan to allow the presence of EU monitors on its side of the border as well; calls on the EU 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 155 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Takes note of the initial progress madediscussions on the process of border delimitation; welcomes the agreement to deploy a civilian EUn EU monitoring mission to build trust and contribute to the border commissions; recalls that only Armenia accepted to host the monitoring mission on its side of the border; calls on the Council and the EEAS to increase the resources and personnel allocated to the monitoring mission, and to extend its mandate for all the time needed to find a solution that guarantees the territorial integrity of Armenia;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Welcomes the humanitarian assistance provided by the EU for the conflict-affected population in and around Nagorno-Karabakh and its assistance for humanitarian demining in the areas affected by the conflict; calls on the Commission to increase EU assistance to people in need, including in Nagorno- Karabakh, facilitate the implementation of more ambitious confidence-building measures and enhance people-to-people contacts between citizens on both sides of the border;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Condemns the footage that has appeared depicting the torture, mutilation and killing of an Armenian servicewoman and unarmed Armenian prisoners of war by Azerbaijani armed forces; calls for a full and impartial investigation of the videos to identify those responsible and hold them accountable for their actions;
Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. 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;
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Recognises the strategicTakes note of the role played by Azerbaijan as a provider of fossil fuels to the EU and welcomes its willingness tobut stresses that the EU external action, including its agreements with third countribute even more to the EU’s objectives, should be based on EU core values, in terms of security and diversification of energy supply and climate neutralityparticular the respect for democracy, rule of law and human rights;
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. WelcomNotes the new mMemorandum of uUnderstanding on a Strategic Partnership in the Field of Energy between the EU and Azerbaijan signed by President Aliyev and Commission President von der Leyen in Baku on 18 July 2022, which lays the groundwork for future cooperation on green energy; regrets, however, that the Memorandum was signed without any conditionality based on the respect of fundamental freedoms, democracy and human rights and contributes to the EU dependence for energy supply, again, on a country that does not fully respect the European values and principles it has itself subscribed to, inter alia, as a member of the Council of Europe, the OSCE and the Eastern Partnership;
Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Takes note of the progress made on the negotiation of a new bilateral cooperation agreement and calls on the negotiating parties to envisage enhanced cooperation outside the energy sector in the new agreement with particular attention on human rights, rules of law, democracy and good governance;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Takes note of the progress made on the negotiation of a new bilateral cooperation agreement and calls on the negotiating parties to envisage enhanced cooperation outside the energy sector in the new agreement, particularly with regard to rule of law, democracy and human rights;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Welcomes the significantTakes note of the trade flows between the EU and Azerbaijan and the high level of EU investment in Azerbaijan;
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Calls on EU institutions to ensure that any deepening of relations between the EU and Azerbaijan remainsmust be conditional on the country making substantial , effective and tangible progress on respect for the core values and principles of democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms;
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)
Paragraph 16 a (new)
16a. Is strongly concerned about the pressure put upon citizens exercising their constitutional rights in Azerbaijan; calls on the government of Azerbaijan to respect the rights of its citizens, including the right to peaceful assembly;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Deeply regrets the current state of press freedom in Azerbaijan; expresses its concern at the new law on media adopted in December 2021; calls for a swift review of that law in accordance with the recommendations included in the opinion of the Venice Commission of 17-18 June 2022; urges Azerbaijan to stop persecuting bloggers and journalist, journalists and media organisations;
Amendment 287 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Strongly insists thatUrges Azerbaijan to cease all persecution and repression of political opposition activists, students, human rights defenders and civil society organisations and representatives; reiterates its position that the release of all political prisoners is an indispensable condition for a new Partnership Agreement between the EU and Azerbaijan;
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)
Paragraph 18 a (new)
18a. Notes with regret the fact that Azerbaijan has not fully complied with the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights;
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Underlines the importance of gender equality and the representation of women at all levels of governmentsocial and political life;
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)
Paragraph 19 a (new)
19a. Deeply regrets Azerbaijan’s failure to fully implement the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention on the Protection of the National Minorities, ratified by Azerbaijan, which violates Azerbaijan’s commitment to protect the rights of the ethnic minorities such as Lezgins, Talysh, Armenians, Kurds and others;
Amendment 307 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Is strongly concerned that the draft Law On Political Parties may further limit the freedom of association of Azerbaijanis by making it more difficult to register political parties; urges the Azerbaijani authorities to consult with international experts, including the OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, and take into account their feedback on the draft law;
Amendment 315 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)
Paragraph 20 b (new)
20b. Condemns the censorship on the access to information in Azerbaijan and calls on the authorities to improve access to the internet and communications coverage;
Amendment 329 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Expresses its concern at the persistent lack of independence, impartiality and effectiveness of the judiciary as well as transparency of its decisions;
Amendment 332 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Takes good note ofRegrets the limited progress made by Azerbaijan on the prevention ofand fight against corruption; calls on Azerbaijan to address the lack of an effective system of asset disclosure for members of parliament, judges and prosecutors;
Amendment 336 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Condemns the persecution of political opponents and calls for elections in accordance with international standards and in respect of Azerbaijan’s commitments as an OSCE participating state;
Amendment 340 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)
Paragraph 22 b (new)
22b. Emphasizes the need to make any further cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan, conditional on the country´s respect for international standards and its international commitments, in particular related to democracy, human rights and the rule of law;
Amendment 342 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 c (new)
Paragraph 22 c (new)
22c. Underlines that good governance and respect for international law and standards are paramount to achieve long- lasting peace with Azerbaijan´s neighbours and in the wider region;
Amendment 345 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Strongly wWelcomes Azerbaijan’s repeatedofficial support for the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine as well as the humanitarian aid provided to Ukraine during the ongoing war; takes note that just one day before the criminal aggression perpetrated by Russia on Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin signed a wide-ranging agreement with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, deepening their diplomatic and military cooperation. and bringing the relation among the two countries to the level of an alliance; is worried by the ambiguity created by the signing of this agreement and calls on President Aliyev to clarify exactly what it entails;
Amendment 347 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Strongly welcomes Azerbaijan’s repeatedNotes the lack of support, shown by Azerbaijan to the resolutions voted in the UN General Assembly on Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and in support ofor the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine as well as; welcomes however the humanitarian aid provided to Ukraine during the ongoing warby Azerbaijan;