Humanitarian Crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh & the Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict

On January 18, 16:00 Berlin time, 19:00 Baku/Tbilisi/Yerevan time, the Heinrich Boell Foundation South Caucasus would like to invite you to the online discussion

Humanitarian Crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh and the Armenian-Azerbaijani Conflict.

Since December 12, the lifeline to Nagorno-Karabakh, the Lachin corridor, has been closed to ordinary road traffic. The crisis began when alleged Azerbaijani eco-activists, who reportedly have close links to state institutions, blocked the road, purportedly protesting illegal mining in the disputed region. Residents of the disputed territory, which broke away from Azerbaijan during and right after the collapse of the Soviet Union, are now facing grave shortages of food and medicine and a threat of renewed energy disruptions. Russia, having boots on the ground, has been unable or unwilling to resolve the dispute. Beyond the immediate crisis resulting from the blockade of the Lachin corridor, a larger problem looms for Yerevan and Stepanakert: Armenia and Azerbaijan have been unable to agree on a peace agreement, with Azerbaijan continuing to pressure Armenia to accept a deal on Baku’s terms.

In light of these developments, we would like to discuss the following questions:

• What is the current situation in Nagorno-Karabakh? How do its residents cope with the crisis, and how have its de facto authorities responded?
• How is the crisis viewed in Azerbaijan? What are the larger motives of the Azerbaijani government?
• How has the Armenian government responded?
• What do the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh expect from the “West”? How have Brussels and Berlin reacted, and what policy options are now being considered­­?

Our speakers are:

• Matthias Vollert, Head of Division Southern Caucasus and Central Asia, Federal Foreign Office (welcome remarks)
• Lilit Shahverdyan, journalist from Stepanakert
• Bahruz Samadov, political analyst and activist
• Areg Kochinyan, Head of the Research Center on Security Policy
• Viola von Cramon, Member of the European Parliament

Moderator: Dr. Sonja Schiffers, Director, Heinrich Boell Foundation Tbilisi Office - South Caucasus Region.

To join the event, please register at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_POZvrCyhRVyAk1Wv53rf7w

Language of the event: English