International community's reaction not enough for Azerbaijan to let humanitarian cargo enter Artsakh - Armenian Foreign Ministry

YEREVAN, July 28. /ARKA/. The reaction of the international community is not enough for Azerbaijan to allow humanitarian cargo from Armenia to enter Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan said today.

"Contrary to the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020 and the legally binding decisions of the UN International Court of Justice of February 22 and July 6, 2023, the humanitarian cargo continues to remain stranded in Kornidzor," Vahan Kostanyan told reporters.

A convoy of 19 trucks with 361 tons of emergency food and medicines sent by the Armenian government to Nagorno-Karabakh that has been under Azerbaijani blockade for more than seven months now remain stranded at the entrance to the Lachin corridor, the only road linking Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia.

According to the Deputy Minister, the Armenian side will continue to inform its partners about the development of the situation on the ground, as well as work to ensure that Azerbaijan finally fulfils its international obligations.

As Kostanyan noted, Armenia wants the international community to speak with a united front and not only send clear signals to the Azerbaijani authorities, but also, if necessary, take steps to ensure the unimpeded transportation of humanitarian cargo and passage of people through the Lachin corridor.

"We believe that Azerbaijan must fulfil its legally binding obligations. However, there has been no such initiative. During these months, starting from December, during all meetings the Armenian side has constantly raised the issue of unblocking the Lachin corridor," the deputy minister noted. 

For more than seven months now, 120,000 Armenians in Artsakh have been under complete blockade of Azerbaijan with no food, medicine, fuel, gas or electricity.

The Lachin corridor, the only road connecting Artsakh with Armenia and the rest of the world was initially blocked by Azerbaijani government-sponsored fake “eco-activists” on December 12, 2022.

Azerbaijan officially institutionalised the blockage of the road by an illegal checkpoint installation on April 23, 2023, grossly violating its international obligations.

Azerbaijan continues to demonstrate a willful disregard for the provisions of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, the ECHR ruling of December 21, 2023, as well as ICJ orders issued on February 22 and July 6, 2023, calling on Azerbaijan to urgently “take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.”-0-