PRESS RELEASE : Latest situation in Nagorno-Karabakh – UK statement to the OSCE [November 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 November 2023.

Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown welcomes Armenian efforts to support the 100,000 people displaced by September’s military action and calls on Azerbaijan to implement a meaningful reintegration plan for those wishing to return.

Following the end of September’s military action in Nagorno-Karabakh, the UK welcomes the access that the Azerbaijani authorities have enabled for the UN and other humanitarian actors to the region. We remain concerned for the welfare of residents affected by the limited access to supplies over the period before September’s events, and strongly support the efforts of the UN and other multilateral agencies to address urgent humanitarian needs of those affected by the conflict. We welcome the cooperation Azerbaijan has shown the relevant international agencies to date, and encourage them to continue to support efforts to address need in the region.

Further to this, we also welcome Armenian efforts to support the 100,000 people displaced by the conflict. Some of those displaced may wish to return to homes they have left behind. A meaningful reintegration plan that accommodates the needs of those wishing to return is of paramount importance. We encourage Azerbaijan to implement such a plan, including the protection of their rights and ability to participate in civic and political life, rigorously and in a coherent and transparent manner.

Now is the time to make progress on a lasting settlement for the region overall. We call on both Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the issues surrounding this region peacefully through dialogue, and in a manner which fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states.