A regular Cabinet meeting was held today, chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Before discussing the issues on the agenda, the Head of the Government spoke about the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh resulted by the illegal blocking of the Lachin Corridor, and also presented Armenia’s idea of solving the situation.
In his speech, Nikol Pashinyan, in particular, noted:
“Dear participants of the Cabinet meeting,
Dear people,
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The humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh continues to worsen. The illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor continues despite the provisional decision of the International Court of Justice of February 22 of this year.
Let me remind that by the decision with binding legal force, the court obliged Azerbaijan to take all measures available to it to guarantee the uninterrupted movement of citizens, vehicles and cargo in both directions through the Lachin Corridor. The court emphasized that its decision creates binding legal force for Azerbaijan. This decision of the court is not implemented, neither citizens, nor vehicles, nor goods move through the Lachin Corridor. Moreover, even ICRC vehicles have been banned.
These are important facts, which counter Azerbaijan’s arguments that the forces and countries that speak out about the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh and the Lachin Corridor are allegedly interfering in Azerbaijan’s internal affairs.
Non-implementation of the decision of the International Court of Justice and ensuring the implementation of the court’s decision is an issue of the international agenda, and we should approach the issue with this logic. And it is important to record that the non-fulfillment and disregard of that decision has led to a humanitarian crisis.
The population of Nagorno-Karabakh is deprived of external supplies of natural gas and electric energy, and the local capacities of electric energy production are sufficient for only partial supplies. External supplies of food and essential goods to Nagorno Karabakh have been stopped. There is a significant shortage of medicines. Under these conditions, even seriously ill patients are not given a chance to be transported. Everything is being done to make the life of Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh impossible. This is exactly the policy of ethnic cleansing that we have been warning about for years.
Dear participants of the Cabinet meeting,
Dear people,
Our idea for the solution of this situation is as follows:
1. The legally binding decision of the International Court of Justice of February 22 must be implemented, and this is a matter of the international agenda, including the issue of the UN Security Council, because it is this body that is authorized to ensure the implementation of the decisions of the International Court of Justice.
2. The international mechanism of the Baku-Stepanakert dialogue should be finally launched, within the framework of which the issue of the rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh will be addressed.
As for Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, our position remains the same: we must make every effort to establish peace and conclude an agreement on the normalization of relations. Next week, the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan will take place in Washington, and our delegation is leaving for the United States with this in mind.
Armenia also proposed to Azerbaijan to hold a meeting of the delimitation commission, and there is an agreement in principle to hold the meeting. Armenia is also ready to unblock the transport and economic routes of the region as soon as possible under the principles of sovereignty, jurisdiction and reciprocity of the parties. Thank you.”
INFORMATION AND PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
