The office of the RA representative on international legal issues issued a statement.
“The Republic of Armenia (“Armenia”) expresses its regret for attempts by the Republic of Azerbaijan (“Azerbaijan”) to advance its public communications agenda by initiating arbitration under the Energy Charter Treaty (“Energy Charter”).
Azerbaijan’s claims regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict have nothing to do with the Energy Charter obligations related to investments and trade in the energy sector. Azerbaijan’s attempt to distort the scope and purpose of the Energy Charter is miserable at a time when the Energy Charter Conference is concluding negotiations on the modernization of the Energy Charter. Such abuse of the Energy Charter undermines all efforts by Contracting Parties to ensure that the Energy Charter continues to function by its purpose as a framework for sustainable investment and trade in the energy sector.
Azerbaijan’s notice of arbitration comes days after an International Court of Justice ruling ordered Azerbaijan to “ensure the unimpeded movement of people, vehicles and cargo” through the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh’s 120,000 ethnic Armenians to the outside world.
However, Azerbaijan ignored the Court’s binding decision and the international community’s calls to implement it, deepening the humanitarian disaster created in Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan intends to divert attention by initiating groundless proceedings within the framework of the Energy Charter.
Azerbaijan’s actions will not undermine Armenia’s commitment to the Energy Charter, the work of the Energy Charter Forum, and the promotion of sustainable investment and trade in the energy sector.”
