‘Without a Viable International Mechanism, No Armenian Can Survive in Nagorno-Karabakh’: Simonian

The President of the National Assembly of Armenia, Alen Simonian, has officially appealed to the leaders of reputable international parliamentary organizations, international partners, and heads of various countries' parliaments, drawing attention to the severe situation that has arisen due to the eight-month-long crisis in the Lachin corridor. This was reported on his Facebook page.

The official letter presents details about the situation of the 120,000 Armenian residents who are facing a real threat of extermination due to the blockade in Nagorno-Karabakh. It emphasizes that, alongside the blockade, there has been a deliberate disruption of the supply of natural gas and electricity to Nagorno-Karabakh. Since June 15, Azerbaijan has completely prohibited even the International Committee of the Red Cross from accessing Nagorno-Karabakh, and the supply of even essential goods has been halted.

Regarding essential goods, Simonian noted that the grain supplies are quickly depleting, and the lack of fuel has made it impossible to bake bread at least in industrial quantities and deliver it to stores.

He drew attention to the fact that on July 26, the Armenian government sent 360 tons of humanitarian aid to Nagorno-Karabakh, but the Azerbaijani authorities do not allow a convoy of 19 trucks to pass through the Lachin corridor to reach Stepanakert.

The letter describes Azerbaijan's disregard for the International Court of Justice’s decision, which mandated Azerbaijan to immediately halt the operation of a controlling checkpoint that indisputably obstructs the rights of Armenians living in Nagorno-Karabakh as stipulated by the 1965 International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

“The humanitarian disaster created by Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh demonstrates that without a viable international mechanism, no Armenian can survive in Nagorno-Karabakh. We greatly value the targeted and objective assessments and efforts made by partner parliaments and international organizations aimed at the peace agenda and stability in our region,” stated Simonian in the letter.

He outlined a sequence of steps that could lead to a change in the situation: “The desired objectives can be achieved through the following steps, for which we also expect your active support:

• Implementation of international mechanisms. International organizations should operate quickly within their authorized competencies and existing instruments designed for resolving such situations. Humanitarian international organizations, particularly UN agencies, should carry out monitoring missions toward the corridor and the region despite the obstacles.
• It is extremely important to note that in our view, the rights and security issues of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh should be addressed through Baku-Stepanakert dialogue, negotiations, discussions. However, considering the disproportionateness of forces between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan, we believe that this conversation should take place within international mechanisms, where the international community will be present. Unfortunately, Azerbaijan perceives and interprets Armenia's interest in the process as encroachment or intent on Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.
• If Baku does not comply with the legally binding decision of the International Court of Justice within a reasonable timeframe, we expect that the parliamentary body you lead will appeal to the European Commission (the country’s government) with a call to impose appropriate sanctions against Azerbaijan. These are not easy solutions and require complex decisions and determination, but they are viable to stop the ongoing ethnic cleansing of 120,000 civilians.
• These days, we consider it extremely necessary to open the Lachin corridor so that a convoy of humanitarian aid reaches Nagorno-Karabakh. We expect your active steps in this direction,” concluded Alen Simonian, the President of the National Assembly of Armenia.