Wednesday, August 23 2023 17:39

ArmInfo.President of the European Council, Charles Michel, calls for an early dialogue between  the representatives of the authorities of Azerbaijan and Nagorno-  Karabakh, including on the lifting of the blockade of the Kashatagh  (Lachin) corridor. This was reported to journalists in Brussels by a  European source.

"President Michel told the Azerbaijani side about the urgent need to  reopen the Lachin corridor in pursuance of the relevant order of the  International Court of Justice and in order to prevent further  escalation. Michel calls for a meeting for dialogue between Baku and  Stepanakert to take place as soon as possible," the source said, RIA  Novosti reports. 

According to the source, the head of the European Council also called  on all parties to avoid politicizing the issue of humanitarian  access.

"Michel and EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Toivo  Klaar are in constant contact with representatives of Yerevan, Baku  and Nagorno-Karabakh to search ways to defuse the situation," the  source said.

Days earlier Toivo Klaar visited Baku and Yerevan.

Since December 12, 2022, Artsakh has been under blockade imposed by  Azerbaijan. If until June 15 of this year the International Committee  of the Red Cross and Russian peacekeepers had the opportunity to  deliver at least limited quantities of essential products for the  besieged population of Artsakh, then after June 15 this opportunity  is not there either. The 120,000 population of Artsakh is on the  verge of starvation amid the inaction of the international community.  Every day people fall into hungry swoons in long lines for bread.  Since July 26, trucks with a 360 tons humanitarian ofcargo from the  Armenian government have been standing in Kornidzor, waiting for the  opportunity to pass to the besieged Artsakh. We also add that  international experts in the field of law are already qualifying  Azerbaijan's actions against the people of Artsakh as genocide.

In addition, on August 15, the first death from starvation was  recorded in Artsakh. A 40-year-old resident of Stepanakert, died as a  result of malnutrition.

We also add that on August 12, Armenia applied to the UN Security  Council with a request to convene an emergency meeting on the  situation around Nagorno-Karabakh. The meeting held on August 16, in  fact, did not produce any results. The participants of the emergency  meeting went about their business after formulaic statements about  the need to reopen the corridor, and expressing concern. And  Azerbaijan, taking advantage of the inaction of the so-called  civilized world, continues to tighten a stranglehold around the neck  of the besieged Artsakh. The purpose of the blockade is the  dearmenization of the NKR.