Artsakh President addresses Secretary General and UN member states  against the background of Azeri blockade 

ArmInfo. Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan addressed the Secretary General and the UN member states against the background of the blockade by Azerbaijan, in violation of the commitments made under the tripartite statement  dated November 9, 2020.

The appeal recalls that on December 12, 2022, a group of persons,  acting under false pretenses and apparently on the instructions and  coordination of the Azerbaijani authorities, invaded the Lachin  corridor - the only road connecting Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) with  Armenia, and blocked two-way traffic.

"The unit of the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation on  duty in this area blocked their path, preventing further direct  provocations against the people of Artsakh.

Due to the closure of the Lachin corridor, which continues to this  day, and the three-day shutdown of natural gas supply, an emergency  humanitarian situation has arisen in Artsakh. The supply of food and  other essential goods, the volume of which is 400 tons per day, has  been stopped. The health care system has been severely affected.  medical supplies are running out. Patients in need of urgent medical  care cannot be transported to Armenia for specialized treatment.  Scheduled surgeries have been temporarily suspended.

Since the blockade, 20 children have been born in Artsakh, meanwhile,  there are not enough funds to care for newborns. More than 1,100  people, including 270 children, cannot return home and reunite with  their families in Artsakh. High risks of another gas shutdown and  damage to other vital infrastructures in the context of the ongoing  blockade and falling air temperatures give cause for serious concern.  Artsakh is completely surrounded and cut off from the rest of the  world. In the current situation, signs of an impending humanitarian  catastrophe are clearly manifesting," the appeal reads.

At the same time, the President of Artsakh stressed that the free and  unhindered use of the Lachin corridor is guaranteed by the 6th  paragraph of the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020, which  states "The Lachin corridor (5 km wide) which will ensure the  communication between Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia and at the same  time will circumvent the city of Shushi, shall remain under the  control of the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation.  "  "The blocking of the road by Azerbaijan is a gross violation of the  provisions of the Statement. The current situation is a new  manifestation of consistent and systematic violations of  international law by the Azerbaijani authorities, including  international human rights law and international humanitarian law.   Similar violations have been carried out over the past two years  after signing of the Tripartite Statement dated November 9, 2020.  Such actions are proof of the collective punishment of the people of  Artsakh, containing serious risks. If the situation is not promptly  resolved, this can lead to a significant deterioration in the welfare  and security of the population, as well as human losses.

The international community bears the legal, political, moral and  ethical responsibility for preventing the impending crisis and  carrying out further crimes against the population of Artsakh. The  current risk factors indicate that there is a potential, probability  and favorable environment for committing brutal crimes against the  people of Artsakh, the early prevention of which is urgent. In this  context, it is also appropriate to note the interim ruling of the  International Court of Justice of December 7, 2021, which established  the existence of a policy of Armenophobia and racial discrimination  in Azerbaijan at the official level.

We call on the international community, in accordance with the  principles of justice and international law, to take individual or  collective effective measures to promote the preservation of peace  and security in Artsakh, as well as to create the necessary  conditions for the full implementation and protection of human rights  in Artsakh (including the right to self-determination).

We are confident that the following steps will play a decisive role  in this context: Ensure the involvement of the United Nations  Security Council in the situation in Artsakh, which bears the main  responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, and  adopt a resolution in accordance with Chapter VII of the UN Charter  with the following provisions:

a) Demand from Azerbaijan to immediately unblock the Lachin corridor  and remove all obstacles to safe and uninterrupted transport  communications along this corridor;

b) To apply the necessary international instruments for the safe,  stable and long-term development of Artsakh, in order to maintain and  strengthen the ceasefire established by the Tripartite Statement of  November 9, 2020;

This will make it possible to apply all necessary measures to protect  civilians who are under the direct threat of physical attack and to  prevent any attempts to threaten peace in the region. Under such  conditions, an appropriate environment will be created for holding  peace talks between Artsakh and Azerbaijan in an international format  aimed at establishing a comprehensive and lasting peace in the  region.

b) Take immediate measures to guarantee safe and unhindered ground  communication between the Republic of Artsakh and the Republic of  Armenia in accordance with the Tripartite Statement of November 9,  2020, and make efforts to create opportunities for passenger and  cargo transportation through air transport;

c) Demand from Azerbaijan to immediately comply with the Interim  Judgment of December 7, 2021 of the International Court of Justice

d) Request the Secretary General to deploy a UN political mission in  Artsakh to monitor human rights violations by Azerbaijan, coordinate  international humanitarian assistance, promote the settlement of the  conflict between Artsakh and Azerbaijan, and submit periodic reports  to the Council;

e) Request the UN Secretary General and the UN Office for the  Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to ensure an effective  humanitarian response to the situation in Artsakh;

f) Request the UN Secretary General to use the early warning  mechanisms available to him, assess the factors and indicators of the  risk of committing crimes against the people of Artsakh and report to  the Council;

g) Invite the relevant bodies and agencies of the UN system,  including the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,  the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN  Development Program, UNICEF, UN Women, etc., to conduct ongoing  monitoring and adequate assessment of the situation in Artsakh on  issues within their competence;

h) To ask UNESCO to send independent experts to Artsakh, including  the occupied territories of Artsakh, to carry out an inventory of  Armenian cultural property and take other necessary measures aimed at  the effective preservation of the Armenian heritage;

2. Involve the UN Secretary-General to take a proactive stance,  notifying and informing the international community about the  situation in Artsakh and the dangers threatening its population, as  well as personally visit Artsakh in solidarity with people in danger,  and ensure regular monitoring the situation through designated  observers;

3 Involve the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,  which is authorized by the UN General Assembly in the constant  monitoring and adequate assessment of the human rights situation in  Artsakh to promote and protect the full implementation of all human  rights by everyone. An adequate assessment of the systematic  violation of human rights by Azerbaijan in relation to the people of  Artsakh will become one of the effective guarantees of their  prevention in the future;

4. Ensure the application in Artsakh of mechanisms for the protection  of human rights, based both on treaties and the UN Charter, through  which it will be possible:

a) To ensure a full assessment of human rights violations against  the people of Artsakh;

b) Establish an investigative body authorized by the UN to respond to  the situation in Artsakh and serious violations of human rights by  Azerbaijan.

The Charter of the United Nations is written on behalf of the peoples  of the world. The people of Artsakh are an inseparable part of the  peoples of the world and are guided by the values and principles  enshrined in the UN Charter. We, the people of Artsakh, believe in  the fundamental rights, dignity and worth of a person. Our long  history is full of threats to our security and dignity. We will  continue to face the challenges and stand for a peaceful and secure  future for Artsakh and the region. We rely on the solidarity of the  international community and call on it to demonstrate in practice its  commitment to international peace, security, development and human  rights, which are equally applicable to Artsakh," the text of the  appeal reads.