Armenia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs Statement on the Lachin Corridor

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia draws the attention of international partners and the entire progressive humanity to the fact that for more than three weeks, Azerbaijan has been blockading Nagorno-Karabakh, grossly violating the regime established by the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, and blocking the lifeline that connects Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and the rest of the world. For the 23rd consecutive day, Azerbaijan has been pushing the population of Nagorno-Karabakh into forced displacement before the eyes of the whole world, continuing its policy of ethnic cleansing.

The humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh is escalating day by day. The shortage of essential goods, food, and medicines is becoming increasingly severe. The danger of malnutrition is becoming tangible. Hundreds of families remain separated, trapped on different sides of the Azerbaijani blockade. 120,000 people find themselves in a de facto hostage situation.

Azerbaijan's claims that the Lachin Corridor is, in fact, open are completely unfounded, evidenced at least by the fact that the International Committee of the Red Cross is only allowed to transfer a limited number of patients in life-threatening situations to the Republic of Armenia.

“In the current situation, we emphasize the importance of holding an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council on December 20, 2022, which was convened in response to a request from the Armenian side to discuss the closure of the Lachin Corridor and its humanitarian consequences for the population of Nagorno-Karabakh. We greatly appreciate the public and clear calls made by the overwhelming majority of Security Council members to lift the blockade of the corridor by Azerbaijan and to ensure the entry of international organizations into Nagorno-Karabakh. We also welcome the efforts of France during the ten-day period following the said meeting of the Security Council to adopt a press statement regarding the situation.”

“Armenia will continue to make targeted efforts in all possible formats, including within the framework of the UN Security Council and international and regional organizations, to ensure a decisive response and actions based on the mandates and functions of these bodies to eliminate the blockade of the Lachin Corridor and the humanitarian crisis faced by the 120,000 residents of Nagorno-Karabakh.”

“We also consider it necessary to send an international fact-finding mission to Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin Corridor to assess the humanitarian situation on the ground, as well as to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access to Nagorno-Karabakh for the relevant UN bodies.”

Azerbaijan is obligated to immediately reopen the Lachin Corridor in accordance with the principles enshrined in point 6 of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, by which Azerbaijan guarantees the safe passage of citizens, vehicles, and cargo through the Lachin Corridor, and the Lachin Corridor is under the control of the Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh. Given that the provisions of the trilateral statement have been violated due to Azerbaijan's illegal actions, we also expect Russia to undertake clear efforts aimed at eliminating this gross violation unconditionally,” the Armenian Foreign Ministry's statement reads.