There is dispute within Armenia regarding sanctions against Azerbaijan, Canadian ambassador says

Canada’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is closely following the events in Nagorno-Karabakh and is concerned about the dramatic deterioration of the humanitarian situation as a result of last year’s events, said Andrew Turner, the first resident ambassador of Canada to Armenia, in his opening remarks at the discussion on border security between Armenia and Azerbaijan at the Foreign Affairs and International Development Committee of the Canadian House of Commons.

According to Turner, Canada has announced a total of $3.9 million in humanitarian aid to support refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh through humanitarian organizations.

He stressed that Canada has consistently called for the non-use of force and has urged all parties to participate in negotiations to reach a peace treaty.

“Canada supports the principles of non-use of force, the territorial integrity of both countries, and the right to self-determination. The peace agreement must now also guarantee the displaced population’s right to return to Nagorno-Karabakh and respect for their property and rights,” he said.

MP Stephane Bergeron asked Turner about the possibility of imposing sanctions on Azerbaijan, to which the ambassador quoted Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly’s words that the matter of sanctions is on the table.

“If necessary, they will be imposed, but we avoid it and try to solve the problem diplomatically. Furthermore, we are making preparations for Canada to become the first non-EU country to participate in a monitoring mission to see what is happening at the border. We are also working with our allies to convey our message clearly to Baku: territorial integrity must be respected,” Turner said.

Responding to the ambassador, MP Bergeron noted that Canada imposed sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, and in 2021, Azerbaijan invaded and occupied a part of the sovereign territory of Armenia.

“Since the conflict has been going on for more than 30 years, there is no clear information about the borders of the two countries, so we expect that such issues will be resolved through a peace agreement, including the preservation of homes and cultural treasures. Canada supports these efforts,” Ambassador Turner replied.

According to the ambassador, negotiations on sanctions with the allies are already underway, but as long as the Armenian government feels that the peace process can be moved forward, Canada would not want to take any steps to hinder those efforts.

MP Sameer Zuberi asked the ambassador whether Armenia petitioned with a request to impose sanctions against Azerbaijan.

“There is a dispute within Armenia at the moment regarding sanctions,” Turner said. “There have been calls for support and concrete action, but there is a clear understanding that the main focus must be on achieving an agreed peace agreement.”