Azerbaijan has not so far respected ICJ ruling - Nikol Pashinyan

ArmInfo. Azerbaijan's growing aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh is clear evidence of Baku-planned  ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenia's Premier Nikol Pashinyan stated at a discussion on "Security and Stability in the  South Caucasus. Armenia prospects." 

By grossly violating the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020,  since December 12, 2022, Azerbaijan has been blocking the Lachin  corridor, the only lifeline between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. 

"The blockade has caused a humanitarian catastrophe. 120,000  Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh are deprived of natural gas,  electricity, food and medicines, as well as other essential goods.  Because of the severe shortage of food and other essential products,  the Nagorno-Karabakh authorities had to take desperate steps - food  coupons, daily rates of food," Mr Pashinyan said. The limited  electricity supply caused closure of high and higher schools,  kindergartens. As a result, over 30,000 children have been deprived  of the right to education, he added. 

On December 20, 2022, at Armenia's request, the U.S. Security Council  held an extraordinary meeting to discuss the situation in the Lachin  corridor. Late last December, Armenia lodged a claim against  Azerbaijan and requested that the International Court of Justice  oblige Azerbaijan to lift the blockade of the Lachin corridor and  ensure unobstructed movement of people and vehicles along the  corridor. And the ICJ did so. 

Regrettably, Azerbaijan has not so far respected the ICJ ruling. 

"Although gas supply has been resumed, electricity supply has been  disrupted since January 9, 2023.  People have to emergency medical  aid and it is only the ICRC and Russian peacekeepers that can deliver  limited food supplies and other essential goods to Nagorno-Karabakh  and transport critical patients to Armenia's hospitals," Mr Pashinyan  said. 

In its ruling the ICJ notes that "the Trilateral Statement provides,  inter alia, that the Lachin Corridor, "which will provide a  connection between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia . . . shall remain  under the control of the Russian Federation peacemaking forces". The  Statement further states that "Azerbaijan shall guarantee the  security of persons, vehicles and cargo moving along the Lachin  Corridor in both directions."