Tuesday, January 24 2023 13:54

ArmInfo.The Foreign Ministry of Artsakh has issued the following statement on  Azerbaijan's interpretation of Paragraph 6 of the Trilateral  Statement of 9 November 2020: 

"The Azerbaijani authorities have recently increasingly resorted to  an arbitrary interpretation of paragraph 6 of the Trilateral  Statement of 9 November 2020, regarding the operation of the Lachin  Corridor. To advance their political agenda, Azerbaijan has been  holding the entire population of Artsakh hostage for more than 40  days, blocking the only road linking Artsakh with Armenia and the  outside world, and creating a serious humanitarian crisis.

"At the same time, Azerbaijan resorts to various speculations, trying  to disguise their inhuman policy towards the people of Artsakh. In  particular, the Azerbaijani authorities present the data on the  passage of ICRC and Russian peacekeepers' vehicles as evidence of the  absence of a humanitarian crisis and blockade.  However, facts on the  ground refute the Azerbaijani ploy designed to mislead the  international community.

"Firstly, during the 43 days of the blockade, fewer vehicles have  passed through the Lachin Corridor than the daily traffic flow in the  pre-blockade period. All of these vehicles belonged either to the  ICRC or the Russian peacekeepers. Not a single vehicle belonging to  Artsakh residents passed through the corridor.

"Secondly, due to the blockade, passenger flow through the Lachin  Corridor in both directions has been stopped. Even the vehicle of the  Russian peacekeepers, transporting children from Armenia back to  Artsakh, was stopped, and the passengers inside were subjected to  deliberate psychological terror from the Azerbaijani side.

"Thirdly, the import of consumer goods, amounting to more than 400  tons per day, has been completely stopped. The blockade of Artsakh  has not only led to a shortage of essential supplies, including  life-saving medicines, but also deprived thousands of people of their  jobs and livelihoods.

"At the same time, in addition to the land blockade of Artsakh,  Azerbaijan imposed an energy blockade to further aggravate the  humanitarian situation. Azerbaijan continues to deliberately obstruct  the natural gas supply to Artsakh, as well as the repair of the only  Goris-Stepanakert high-voltage power line coming from Armenia, which  was damaged on 9 January, in an area under Azerbaijani control.

"Azerbaijan's claim that they have the right to stop vehicles passing  through the Lachin Corridor and conduct cargo inspections is  absolutely unfounded. The Trilateral Statement does not provide for  any restrictions on the transport of cargo with regard to their  nature, purpose or use. With respect to the Lachin Corridor,  Azerbaijan's only obligation is to not impede the movement in any way  the safety of movement of citizens, vehicles and cargo in both  directions.

"Baku's attempts to unilaterally revise the provisions of the  Trilateral Statement and turn the Lachin Corridor, which has an  internationally recognized status, into an Azerbaijani-controlled  road exclusively for humanitarian cargo transportation are  illegitimate and must be rejected.

"The Azerbaijani President's signature under the Trilateral Statement  represents Azerbaijan's explicit consent to the recognition of the  exclusive control of the Russian peacekeeping contingent over the  Lachin Corridor."