UN Security Council Must Take Appropriate Measures to Prevent Mass Atrocities in Artsakh, Says Mher Margaryan

The Permanent Representative of Armenia to the UN, Mher Margaryan, gave an interview to BBC’s Newshour radio program, addressing Azerbaijan's blockade of Artsakh and the worsening humanitarian crisis there, for which Armenia has requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council.

According to Margaryan, Armenia has warned the international community that the alarming situation in Artsakh is nearing a humanitarian disaster. He emphasized that the blockade of a vital lifeline (the Lachin Corridor) by Azerbaijan has created conditions for a potential humanitarian catastrophe.

“Today marks exactly eight months that thousands of families in Nagorno-Karabakh have been suffering from acute shortages of essential goods, including food, fuel, and medicine. We believe the UN Security Council must fulfill its responsibility to maintain international peace and security and take appropriate measures to prevent mass atrocities in Nagorno-Karabakh,” Margaryan stated.

He reminded that it is not only Armenia that has approached Azerbaijan regarding the opening of the road, but the International Criminal Court issued a provisional measure in February and reaffirmed it in July, stating that Azerbaijan must take all necessary actions to ensure the free movement of people, vehicles, and goods through the Lachin Corridor, which Azerbaijan has yet to implement.

“The UN Secretary-General has made three statements—one in December, another in February, and the last on August 3—calling for the unconditional implementation of the international court's decision, reaffirming its binding nature. Many international organizations have urged Azerbaijan to comply with the court’s ruling. We also approached the UN Security Council a month ago, specifically requesting urgent and effective actions in response to Azerbaijan's violations of international humanitarian law and to ensure the legally binding decisions of the International Criminal Court. Nothing has been done so far.

Even the International Red Cross has been barred from entering this area. Numerous respected scholars and experts on genocide have written and made statements about Azerbaijan's clear intentions to commit genocide against the population of Nagorno-Karabakh. The international community has an obligation to prevent such crimes,” Margaryan stressed.

Speaking about Armenia's expectations from the UN Security Council, the representative emphasized that the body has various tools at its disposal. According to him, the most appropriate action would be a resolution to send an assessment mission from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to Nagorno-Karabakh to deliver necessary humanitarian aid to the population and implement the legally binding decisions of the international court by opening the Lachin Corridor. He noted that humanitarian aid has been stuck at the border for two weeks.

Margaryan emphasized that the current situation is not related to the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. “The people of Nagorno-Karabakh are suffering; there is no food, and medicine is in short supply, making international intervention urgently necessary to prevent mass atrocities from occurring now,” the official stated.

It is worth noting that on July 26, Armenia sent nearly 400 tons of humanitarian aid to Artsakh. The assistance has yet to reach its destination, with the trucks having crossed the Armenian checkpoint and now being stuck in Kornidzor near the beginning of the Hakari Bridge for two weeks. Azerbaijan has not allowed the entry of the shipments into Artsakh via the Lachin Corridor. Baku has characterized Yerevan’s steps to send humanitarian aid to Artsakh as provocations, accusing it of sending a convoy to Nagorno-Karabakh without its consent. According to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, this is an “infringement” of its “territorial integrity.” Baku suggests providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Artsakh through the occupied Agdam region.

On December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan closed the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia under the false pretext of environmental concerns. On April 23, 2023, Azerbaijan established a checkpoint near the Hakari River Bridge along the Lachin Corridor. On June 15, Azerbaijani border guards attempted to advance towards the Hakari Bridge with the aim of erecting a flag on Armenian territory. The attempt was thwarted due to measures taken by the Armenian side. Following the Azerbaijani provocation near the Hakari Bridge, all humanitarian passenger and cargo transfers through the Lachin Corridor were prohibited by Azerbaijan. Since June 25, only the transfer of patients has been restored from Artsakh to Armenia and vice versa.