Artsakh Foreign Ministry on Azerbaijan's Establishment of a Checkpoint on the Khakari River Bridge

It is evident that by establishing a checkpoint, Azerbaijan is attempting to escalate its ethnic cleansing policy in an atmosphere of complete impunity and lawlessness. This is stated in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Artsakh.

“After keeping Artsakh in inhumane blockade for more than 4 months through its agents, on April 23, Azerbaijan unlawfully established a checkpoint in the Lachin corridor on the Khakari River bridge. Once again, we emphasize that Azerbaijan's actions aimed at establishing control over the Lachin corridor directly contradict the 6th point of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020. The signature of the President of Azerbaijan under the trilateral statement is a direct and unequivocal consent of the Azerbaijani state to transfer exclusive control over the Lachin corridor to the Russian peacekeeping forces.

Since the establishment of the ceasefire, Azerbaijan has periodically violated almost all provisions of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020. However, the Azerbaijani side's official announcement regarding the establishment of the checkpoint indicates Baku's intention to withdraw from its obligations under this document.

In this context, we expect a clear and adequate response from both the wider international community and the parties to the trilateral statement, and first and foremost from the Russian Federation, which guarantees the implementation of the statement—to prevent the establishment of the Azerbaijani checkpoint, to open the Lachin corridor, to ensure the implementation of the obligations assumed by Azerbaijan under the trilateral statement, and to ensure the physical safety of the people of Artsakh.

It is clear that by establishing a checkpoint, Azerbaijan is attempting to further its ethnic cleansing policy in the atmosphere of complete impunity and lawlessness.

The Azerbaijani leadership not only does not conceal its genocidal actions but also pre-announces them, without being subjected to condemnation or reaction from the international community.

Notably, the massive violations of the rights of the people of Artsakh by Azerbaijan are occurring amidst the efforts and statements of international mediators aimed at establishing peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Essentially, Azerbaijan is using the Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiation process as a tool to exclude potential measures for preventing its criminal policy by the involved states.

The absence of an adequate response from the states, which are not parties to the trilateral statement but carry responsibility for international peace and security, including the prevention of ethnic cleansings and genocides, and proposals to discuss Azerbaijan's illegal demands are tantamount to allowing Azerbaijan's genocidal policy.

Moreover, any proposal to discuss Azerbaijan's illegal demands attempts to legalize them and, in fact, serves to encourage Baku's criminal plans. In this situation, decisive actions by the UN Security Council to prevent Azerbaijan's genocidal policy are imperative.

We demand from the member states of the UN Security Council to fulfill their obligations under the UN Charter and international law and to put an end to Azerbaijan's criminal policy of ethnic cleansing and extermination of the people of Artsakh,” reads the statement.