Artsakh state minister urges Armenians to add their voices to demand reopening of Lachin corridor
YEREVAN, July 17. /ARKA/. On Monday protesters in Armenia will join a nationwide movement that started in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) last Friday to demand the reopening of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan, Artsakh State Minister Gurgen Nersisyan said in a Facebook post.
He said the rallies in Yerevan will be organized and coordinated by the Artsakh's representation in Armenia and the operational headquarters of Artsakh government. The goal is to inform all about the humanitarian disaster in Artsakh. Nersisyan urged everyone to join the movement and participate in the planned events.
He emphasized that the people of Artsakh, who are in a catastrophic humanitarian situation, appealed to all Armenians of the Diaspora and Armenia.
"However, even in this situation, there are people who, forgetting about priorities, pay attention to motives. Someone says: I won't participate if the protest is not directed against Russians, another one says he would not join the protests if it is not against the West, a third demands to gather in front of the Armenian government instead of embassies, someone has other orders," Nersisyan said.
As a person thoroughly familiar with the difficult situation created in Artsakh, the state minister called to put an end to these excuses, unite and act.
"There is a lot to be said and done in all directions. And if you need reasons to justify your own inaction, at least don't interfere from the outside," he noted.
Since Friday morning, thousands of Nagorno-Karabakh ethnic Armenians have been rallying in a central square in the capital Stepanakert to demand the reopening of the Lachin corridor, which is the only road linking it with Armenia. The road has been blocked by Azerbaijan since last December.
The protesters urged Moscow to ensure free movement through the road. Azerbaijan later allowed the Red Cross to resume medical evacuations from Karabakh to Armenia.
The activists of the movement who set up camps in a Stepanakert square said they would stay in the square until the corridor is reopened. -0-
