Mirzoyan: Azerbaijan continues illegal blockade of Berdzor corridor  in parallel with negotiations

ArmInfo. Azerbaijan, in parallel with the negotiations, continues illegal blockade of the  Lachin/Berdzor corridor. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated this on May 22 at a joint press conference with Under Secretary of State for urope of UK Foreign, Commonwealth and  Development Office Leo Docherty.

The minister said that the latest developments in the region were in  the focus of the negotiations, and he presented the guest with the  latest processes in the normalization of relations between Baku and  Yerevan.

"I stressed that the blockade has caused a serious humanitarian  problem in Nagorno-Karabakh and disrupts the activities of such an  authoritative international organization as the ICRC. It is obvious  that this is part of the policy of ethnic cleansing in  Nagorno-Karabakh," the minister said, calling on UN Security Council  member states, including the UK, for constructive engagement and  action. Among them, the minister pointed out the need to send an  international monitoring mission to the Lachin corridor and Nagorno-  Karabakh, as well as the imperative to ensure access for  international humanitarian organizations.  At the same time, Mirzoyan  noted that Armenia attaches great importance to the assistance of its  international partners on such important humanitarian issues as  ensuring the return of all Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan.

"Despite the negotiation process, Azerbaijan continues the occupation  of the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia and  provocations, which contradicts the statements adopted in Prague and  Sochi," he said, adding that in this context, the fulfillment of the  Alma-Ata declaration, to which the Armenian side is committed, is of  great importance.

At the same time, he announced the readiness of the RA to fulfill its  obligations under paragraph 9 of the tripartite statements dated  November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021 regarding the opening of  regional communications on the basis of sovereignty, legitimacy,  equality and reciprocity.

In conclusion, the minister noted that in order to ensure regional  peace, it is necessary to resolve all issues without the use of force  and the threat of its use, by delimiting the border based on the  recognition of the territorial integrity of each other, solving  humanitarian problems, ensuring an internationally guaranteed  dialogue to respect the rights and security of the population of  Nagorno-Karabakh.