UN Calls for Urgent Opening of the Lachin Corridor

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights believes that urgent measures must be taken to ensure free and safe movement through the Lachin Corridor, and all disputed issues should be resolved through dialogue. This was stated in the office's announcement, which was published on Twitter on Tuesday, according to TASS.

“Lachin Corridor (Armenia/Azerbaijan): we urge the parties to resolve outstanding issues through dialogue, urgently ensure free and safe movement, protect human rights, and avoid humanitarian negative consequences for civilians,” the statement said.

The Lachin Corridor is the only route connecting Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. On December 12, a group of Azerbaijanis, presenting themselves as environmentalists, blocked the Lachin Corridor, where a Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily stationed. Baku has stated that the purpose of the protest is not to block any road and that civilian vehicles can move freely in both directions. Yerevan has regarded this as a provocation by Baku aimed at creating a humanitarian disaster in Artsakh. As Prime Minister Pashinyan stated at a government meeting, a shortage of food has begun in Nagorno-Karabakh due to the blockade.