VIDEO: Today, I declare Artsakh a disaster zone, Araik Harutyunyan

The President of Artsakh, Araik Harutyunyan, held an urgent online press conference yesterday evening with around 100 journalists from 35 countries, the majority of whom were international reporters, including representatives from some of the world's leading media outlets.

In his speech, the President stated: "Given the extremely dire situation and the escalating threats to the physical existence of our people, today I declare Artsakh a disaster zone, expecting an urgent international response and security, political, and humanitarian support from the international community, both collectively and individually. Artsakh is now the only region in the world that is under complete isolation and blockade, without any humanitarian aid or international presence. Even if there is no international urgent assistance under the declaration of a disaster zone, Artsakh can reasonably be considered a concentration camp, with all the consequences that entails.

I have sent letters to the Presidents of the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, who are also permanent members of the UN Security Council, as well as to UN agencies, describing in detail the humanitarian situation in Artsakh and demanding concrete actions to adequately respond to the situation.

The time has come for unilateral actions to prevent mass crimes as a last resort. Of course, we have demands first and foremost from the parties to the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, especially from Russia, to fulfill their obligations as security guarantors, and particularly from Armenia to refrain from any declarations or actions recognizing Artsakh as part of Azerbaijan, respecting the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination.

We demand that the UN Security Council take decisive actions within its mandate and responsibilities to prevent the genocidal policies being carried out by Azerbaijan and ensure the implementation of decisions regarding the opening of the Lachin corridor by the International Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights.

In this regard, I consider the involvement of the United Nations, its entire system, and agencies authorized to act in humanitarian crises to be urgent.

I demand that the UN Secretary-General demonstrate moral and political responsibility and leadership by alerting the international community to the dire situation of the people of Artsakh. I demand that Mr. Guterres activate the UN system without delay or hesitation to resolve this crisis. I am prepared to personally present the humanitarian situation in Artsakh to the UN Secretary-General, Mr. Guterres, in an online format.

I demand immediate action from the UN Secretary-General’s deputies concerning humanitarian issues, as well as political and peace-building issues. Raise the alarm about the crisis in Artsakh and demand the immediate efforts of the international community to grant a mandate for UN entry and presence in Artsakh.

I call upon the executive directors of UNICEF, the World Food Programme, and the UN Population Fund, as well as the Director-General of the World Health Organization, to adhere to their mandates and responsibilities, requiring their presence in Artsakh to provide urgent and ongoing assistance to the people of Artsakh.

We demand that the involved parties cease to support Azerbaijan's criminal agenda, which only deepens the suffering of innocent people, and we call for concrete actions to ensure a favorable environment for the sustainable security of the people of Artsakh and a peaceful and just resolution of the conflict.

Today, the prevention of genocides and other mass crimes is an obligation undertaken by the international community. It is unacceptable that the obligation to prevent genocide would only be expressed by the willingness to sit the parties at the negotiating table. The international community, and first and foremost the UN Security Council, which also includes the three co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk group, and which is responsible for international peace and security, including the prevention of mass crimes, has both the mandate and the necessary tools, as well as the obligation, to halt Azerbaijan's genocidal policies.

Ultimately, Azerbaijan's international impunity must be halted one day; otherwise, it will give rise to more horrific crimes, the threshold of which we are currently facing."

For more details, see the video.