If Azerbaijan Fails to Fulfill Its Promises, Russia Must Open the Lachin Corridor by Force: Artak Beglaryan

Former Minister of Defense of Artsakh, Artak Beglaryan, made a statement on his Facebook page, which we present below:

“As it was revealed earlier today, a truck from the Russian Red Cross has entered Aghdam, then Askeran, and finally Stepanakert, delivering humanitarian aid from the Russian government. Here are a few key points regarding this:

1. This is the first humanitarian supply to the people of Artsakh since June 15 amid the conditions of Azerbaijani genocide.
2. This can be seen as a success for the Aliyev regime, as they managed to insert the 'Aghdam route' into the agenda of intermediaries and ensure the entry of the truck through their territory, thereby reducing the exclusive role of the Lachin Corridor.
3. However, they failed to deliver Azerbaijani Red Crescent's illegal products to Artsakh. It is crucial that no Azerbaijani goods, personnel, or vehicles have entered Artsakh.
4. Although this could also be interpreted as a Russian success, overall, they failed. The reason is that they could not ensure the opening of the Lachin Corridor as per their obligations and did not compel Azerbaijan to open it at least simultaneously with the Aghdam route.
5. By agreeing to this deal, the authorities of Artsakh seem to have aimed not only to alleviate the suffering of our people but also to place additional responsibility on the Russian side as a guarantor of this agreement, increasing potential Russian pressure on the Aliyev regime to open the Lachin Corridor.
6. Since there have been previous offers and promises from the Russian and Azerbaijani sides to open the Lachin Corridor for humanitarian supplies within 24 hours following the first entry from Aghdam, let’s see what happens by tomorrow morning. I have serious doubts that Azerbaijan will find new excuses and conditions to continue the total blockade of the Lachin Corridor and deepen the suffering of our people.
7. If the Azerbaijani side fails to meet its commitments and promises, Russia must utilize all available resources to forcibly open the Lachin Corridor to prevent further damage to its reputation on the ground.
8. If it is impossible to avoid using the Azerbaijani route in any way, then it is also necessary to discuss other routes. For example, why not allow the entry of a Russian truck from Shushi instead of Aghdam, especially since such cases occurred before the blockade? This would somewhat mitigate the negative effects of the Azerbaijani route.
9. It is very important for the authorities of Artsakh to harmoniously coordinate their efforts and resources with the Russian, European, and American sides while maintaining transparent and honest communication with all intermediaries. During this time, the Azerbaijani side has effectively rejected and canceled many mediation initiatives, playing on the conflict between Russia and the West. I am concerned that they may apply this tactic again in the coming days.
10. Both the authorities of Artsakh and all intermediaries must exercise caution and professionalism in negotiations by clarifying all details before the first step. It seems that not all details were pre-agreed upon before the entry of the Russian Red Cross truck, and Azerbaijan may attempt to exploit this gap to jeopardize this Russian initiative.
11. Important details include, for example, by whom, when, how, and from where access will be granted, the origin and nature of the delivered goods, designated routes, the control regime in the Lachin Corridor, allowable daily volumes, and the clear roles of peacekeepers and the ICRC. Negotiations, agreements, and the securing of guarantees on these issues are crucial to providing somewhat stable and interim solutions regarding humanitarian supplies.
12. Neglecting these concerns and failing to secure explicit guarantees from global powers for the fulfillment of agreements could allow Azerbaijan to gradually cross red lines and gain more than it could under such an approach.
13. By the way, symbolically, today marks the 9th month of the genocidal blockade of the people of Artsakh. Our people staunchly resist all Azerbaijani tyrannical and genocidal efforts to subjugate us and the illegal initiatives by the international community.”