Artsakh's Foreign Ministry Expects Actions from Russian Peacekeepers

The UN Security Council must take concrete collective actions aimed at the immediate opening of the Lachin corridor and curbing Azerbaijan's genocidal policies. This information comes from the Department of Information and Public Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh.

“On March 25, the Azerbaijani armed forces, once again grossly violating the obligations undertaken by the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, crossed the line of contact with the armed forces of the Republic of Artsakh and ensured some positional advance within the territory of the Republic of Artsakh, towards the Stepanakert-Lisagor gravel road. Through such actions, Azerbaijan seeks to further tighten the blockade of Artsakh, severing the only connection between the capital Stepanakert and several villages in the Shushi region of the republic.

At the same time, the Azerbaijani side is attempting to justify its illegal actions and provocations with fabricated statements that bear no relation to reality. Azerbaijan's actions to tighten the siege around Artsakh are a cynical response to the International Court of Justice's decision on the immediate unblocking of the Lachin corridor that connects Artsakh to Armenia, and a challenge to international law.

We expect that the Russian peacekeeping forces will take practical steps to eliminate the consequences of another violation by Azerbaijan of the provisions of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, as well as to prevent new possible violations. Under such circumstances, it is imperative for the international community to adopt a unified, strong stance to compel Azerbaijan to return to the legal framework and fulfill its international obligations. The international community, and particularly the UN Security Council, should take specific collective actions aimed at the immediate opening of the Lachin corridor and curbing Azerbaijan's genocidal policies,” the statement reads.