Yerevan Not Preparing to Engage in Discussions Over Other Routes: Armenian Foreign Ministry's Response to Azerbaijan's Statement

The only issue on the agenda is the lifting of the blockade of the Lachin corridor, and Yerevan is not planning to engage in discussions over any other routes. This was stated by the spokesperson of the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Ani Badalyan, in response to Azerbaijan's assertion that an agreement was reached during the trilateral meeting on July 15 in Brussels, attended by the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the President of the European Council, to ensure cargo transportation to Nagorno-Karabakh through alternative routes.

"We want to emphasize that no agreements were reached regarding alternative routes for the transportation of goods to Nagorno-Karabakh during the trilateral meeting. Furthermore, the Republic of Armenia has no authority and cannot discuss issues related to other routes for transporting goods to Nagorno-Karabakh," she said.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson reminded that Armenia has repeatedly reaffirmed its principled position on the imperative of lifting the illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor, in accordance with the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020, and the legally binding decisions of the International Court of Justice on February 22 and July 6, 2023.

She noted that it is significant that after the July 15 meeting, statements made by the President of the European Council as well as by the spokesperson of the Council on September 1 also did not mention any such "agreement."

"The Azerbaijani side, following its established pattern, is attempting to exploit various references to the topic and present them as agreements. International partners continually and unequivocally stress the importance of lifting the blockade of the Lachin corridor, and that references to other routes cannot be seen as an alternative to Azerbaijan's obligation to lift the blockade of the Lachin corridor," she added.