Statement of the Coordination Council of the Eastern European Network for Citizenship Education – EENCE.

The Eastern European Network for Citizenship Education in the Eastern Partnership region and neighbouring countries condemns the violent solution to the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh and expresses deep condolences for the deaths of civilians in this region.

Committed to the values of democracy, peace and sustainable development and following the main international human rights instruments, we declare:

1. The resolution of any territorial conflict is possible only by peaceful means, through negotiations of all interested parties under international auspices.

2. The world community should not remain indifferent to the fate of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh. Immediate and united efforts are needed to achieve long-term and just peace and stability in the region.

3. The Government of Azerbaijan needs to ensure immediate and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance for the population, including by unblocking the Lachin corridor, following the decisions of the International Court of Justice. Also, the Government of Azerbaijan must provide, under an EU and UN mandate, a humanitarian corridor for the safe evacuation of residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, ethnic Armenians.

4. Any attempt to ethnically cleanse the region will not be tolerated. When such an event occurs, the international community needs to investigate each case and ensure due legal consequences for those who organize it, under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

We, representatives of organizations and experts working in the field of civic education in the Eastern Partnership region and neighbouring countries, recognizing the key role of civic education in promoting democracy, peace and sustainable development in our region, express our solidarity and support to the public organizations and experts included in our Network, opposing any type of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh, and call on all members of the Network to work together to protect human rights and prevent any violence.