Pashinyan summarizes UNSC meeting on Nagorno-Karabakh
YEREVAN, August 17. /ARKA/. UN Security Council's emergency meeting convened August 16 at the request of Armenia in connection with the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, caused by the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan, has recorded that the corridor is indeed closed contrary to Azerbaijan's claims of the opposite, Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan told a government session today.
Pashinyan said the UNSC meeting confirmed the existence of a humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh and the threat to the lives and security of its 120,000 residents. It also emphasized that the decision of the International Court of Justice to ensure the unimpeded movement of goods and passengers along the Lachin corridor in both directions has not been implemented by the Azerbaijani side.
"We can state that the truth about the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor and the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh has been confirmed at the highest international instance. The international community also voiced a joint call to Azerbaijan to eliminate the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor," Pashinyan said.
He noted that this call has not been fulfilled and 22 trucks with approximately 400 tons of humanitarian aid are still waiting to enter Nagorno-Karabakh.
Pashinyan added that the humanitarian situation is worsening day by day with villagers in Nagorno-Karabakh being subjected to constant shelling by Azerbaijani troops.
He said Azerbaijan on the one hand does not allow 100 tons of flour sent by the Armenian government, to enter Karabakh, and on the other hand it does not allow Nagorno-Karabakh farmers to harvest the wheat, which is another fact that substantiates international experts' conclusion that Azerbaijan is carrying out genocide through famine and, therefore, the opening of the Lachin corridor should be considered as a step to prevent genocide.
Pashinyan reiterated that the best way out of the situation is the establishment of Stepanakert-Baku dialog and reiterated his commitment to the peace agenda. --0--
