US Urges Azerbaijan and Russia to Restore Free Movement Through the Lachin Corridor

The United States is deeply concerned that the Lachin Corridor has been blocked for more than 30 days, causing severe shortages of food, medicine, and other supplies in Nagorno-Karabakh. 'These facts are indisputable,' stated US Ambassador to the OSCE Michael Carpenter during a special meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council, which was also attended by Armenia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ararat Mirzoyan.

'We call on Azerbaijan and Russia to immediately restore unhindered transit, maintaining previously undertaken commitments, which clearly include guarantees, as you (referring to Ararat Mirzoyan) cited, for the safe movement of people, vehicles, and cargo in both directions through the Lachin Corridor.' The ongoing disruption of private and commercial traffic along the Lachin route could have dire humanitarian consequences for the people living in Nagorno-Karabakh,' Carpenter said.

The US Ambassador to the OSCE also thanked the ICRC for providing critical assistance and called on Azerbaijan to respect the rights, security, and welfare of the population living in this region.

'All participating states of the OSCE have an obligation to protect the safety of individuals within their territories, regardless of ethnic affiliation,' Carpenter noted.

'I also look forward to a substantive discussion regarding the recommendations of the Polish President’s Needs Assessment Team, led by North Macedonia. The OSCE and its various institutions are well positioned to support Armenia and Azerbaijan based on our comprehensive approach to security and grounded in our values, principles, and commitments. We have a wide array of tools that can be applied in this conflict, and we must discuss how we can utilize them,' the US Ambassador to the OSCE stated.

He added that the United States urges Azerbaijan and Armenia to resume meaningful negotiations to resolve their disputes. 'A comprehensive peace agreement is the only true path to lasting peace, based on normalization of relations and mutual recognition. We also call on Azerbaijan and Armenia to investigate alleged atrocities and hold those responsible accountable,' Michael Carpenter emphasized.

The US Ambassador to the OSCE reiterated that the US will continue to work with Azerbaijan and Armenia both bilaterally and multilaterally through partners such as the European Union and international organizations like the OSCE to achieve a comprehensive and sustainable resolution to this conflict.