International and Domestic Attention Could Facilitate the Implementation of the Humanitarian Mission in Nagorno-Karabakh: Vardan Sargsyan

Vardan Sargsyan, a representative of the working group on managing the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh, is hopeful that calls from both international and domestic organizations will lead to the unblocking of the Lachin Corridor. This would allow a humanitarian cargo column, which has been stationed at the border for 10 days, to reach Nagorno-Karabakh.

According to Armenpress, he made this statement during a conversation with journalists on August 4. He noted, “There is a noticeable increase in interest and concern among both the international community and the domestic audience regarding the transportation of cargoes and, in general, the closure of the Lachin Corridor and the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh. I believe all of this will contribute to the unblocking of the Lachin Corridor, as visits by foreign embassies and UN representatives have given them the opportunity to see firsthand and gain a more comprehensive understanding of the situation regarding the blockade of the Lachin Corridor, which should contribute to the success of our humanitarian initiative and the process of transporting cargo to Nagorno-Karabakh.”

Referring to the activity surrounding the topic in the public sphere, he emphasized that on August 3, three international organizations engaged in humanitarian issues made a statement expressing concerns about the existing situation and calling for the opening of the Lachin Corridor to ensure unhindered movement through it.

Highlighting the vulnerability of children in the besieged region, Sargsyan stated that on August 4, representatives from about twenty NGOs focused on child protection and humanitarian issues raised their voices in support of the thirty thousand children in Nagorno-Karabakh. “In fact, we can say that children are the most vulnerable group in this situation. Increased international and domestic public attention and concerns can play a significant role in the success of this process,” Sargsyan concluded.

It should be noted that Azerbaijan has now been unlawfully blocking the Lachin Corridor for 10 days, preventing humanitarian aid allocated from Armenia to reach the population, which is facing a serious humanitarian crisis due to the complete blockade of the corridor by Azerbaijan.