Ahead of the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting, the Dutch Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee convened with the participation of Dutch Foreign Minister, Caspar Veldkamp.
During the session, two important resolutions aimed at supporting the Republic of Armenia and promoting cultural preservation in Artsakh were proposed. The first resolution, authored by MPs Isa Kahraman (NSC) and Don Ceder (ChristenUnie), emphasizes the urgent need to protect the cultural heritage of Artsakh.
The resolution notes: “Considering that the Azerbaijani army attacked Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023, leading to the near-total displacement of the population to Armenia, with many still unable to return to their homes, and recognizing that Azerbaijan is destroying Armenian cultural heritage in that region, we call on the government to advocate for the protection of Armenian cultural heritage within the frameworks of both the EU and the 1954 Hague Convention of UNESCO.”
The Dutch Foreign Minister expressed support for the call to protect Armenian cultural heritage. The resolution was passed by a large majority in Parliament. The second resolution, co-authored by MPs Ceder (ChristenUnie), Boswijk (CDA), Stoffer (SGP), Piri (GroenLinks-PvdA), Van der Berg (VVD), Paternotte (D66), De Roon (PVV), and Kahraman (NSC), highlights a rare opportunity for peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan after three decades of conflict.
It also stresses the importance of acknowledging ongoing obstacles, including Azerbaijan’s continued detention of Armenian prisoners of war. The resolution calls on the Dutch government, in collaboration with other European countries, to exert pressure on Azerbaijan to secure the release of all Armenian prisoners of war (POWs).
The Foreign Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan and pledged to address the issue of releasing detainees, including Armenian prisoners. According to the minister, the release of prisoners of war following the conclusion of armed conflict is an obligation under international humanitarian law. The second resolution also passed by a majority vote.
