Thursday, June 22 2023 15:34

ArmInfo. A regular Cabinet meeting was held today, chaired by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, an  official report reads. .

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:

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.

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."