On August 24, 2023, the President of Azerbaijan decided to cancel a previously arranged meeting with Belgium's Foreign Minister, citing her statements concerning the

Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. Hadja Lahbib is currently engaged in a four-day tour of the southern Caucasus, where she is engaging with political figures in Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani authorities expressed dissatisfaction with comments she made during her visit to Armenia on Tuesday.

After a meeting with her Armenian counterpart, Lahbib conveyed her concern about the humanitarian conditions prevailing in the region. Despite being located within Azerbaijani territory, Nagorno-Karabakh predominantly houses an Armenian population. Since Azerbaijan's move to effectively block the sole access road from Armenia, known as the Lachin corridor, in April, both Armenia and humanitarian organizations have been sounding the alarm.

"The most viable way to address this historical conflict is through dialogue and compromise" The European Union has urged Azerbaijan to ensure safe passage through the road. Lahbib asserted, "Every state has a responsibility to ensure the well-being of its citizens. The rights and security of the Armenian population must be safeguarded. I will urge my Azerbaijani counterpart to act in accordance with these principles."

A scheduled meeting between Lahbib and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Baku for Thursday was subsequently called off. Trend, a news outlet, reported that the cancellation was attributed to a "pro-Armenian stance and baseless statements" made in Armenia. However, a planned meeting with Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov proceeded as planned.

In a press conference following her discussion with Bayramov, Lahbib reaffirmed her stance. She expressed, "The most viable way to address this historical conflict is through dialogue and compromise. We harbor deep concerns about the limitations imposed on the Lachin corridor... There is an urgent necessity to ensure freedom of movement in that region."

Bayramov highlighted that Azerbaijan had proposed a solution, which Armenia rejected. A local journalist accused the European Union of overlooking the situation in the enclave during its time under Armenian control.

The deadly conflict concerning Nagorno-Karabakh has spanned 30 years. In 2020, Azerbaijan gained control following a six-week battle. Photo by PoliceMan100, Wikimapia.org (http://wikimapia.org), Wikimedia commons.