Armenian parliament to have closed discussion on humanitarian crisis in Artsakh
YEREVAN, March 22. /ARKA/. The Armenian parliament decided today to hold a closed emergency discussion on the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), threats to its population and what kind of urgent actions should be taken to prevent the catastrophe.
MP Artsvik Minasyan from the opposition Hayastan (Armenia) alliance argued against holding closed discussions saying that the issue is of public interest.
"If there are some details which contain state or official secrets, those parts can be discussed in closed session, but not the whole session," he said.
Hayk Konjoryan from the ruling Civil Contract party responded that this issue is of broad public interest not only in Armenia, but also in other countries. "We cannot afford discussing national and state interests of Armenia and Artsakh in an open format," he said.
He said also that Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan and Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan will participate in the meeting at the suggestion of the opposition.
Azerbaijani armed forces have been shelling the villages of Khramurt, Parukh and Khnapat in Artsakh's Askeran region more intensively in recent weeks, (including with mortars and heavy caliber guns. A few days ago, women and children were evacuated from Khramort to other settlements. Azerbaijanis also use loudspeakers demanding that the Armenian population of these villages leave threatening otherwise physical violence.
On September 27, 2020, Azerbaijani armed forces, backed by Turkey and foreign mercenaries and terrorists, attacked Nagorno-Karabakh along the entire front line using rocket and artillery weapons, heavy armored vehicles, military aircraft and prohibited types of weapons such as cluster bombs and phosphorus weapons.
After 44 days of the war, on November 9, the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a statement on the cessation of all hostilities. According to the document, the town of Shushi, the districts of Agdam, Kelbajar and Lachin were handed over to Azerbaijan, with the exception of a 5-kilometer corridor connecting Karabakh with Armenia.
A Russian peacekeeping contingent was deployed along the contact line in Karabakh and along the Lachin corridor. -0
