Nagorno-Karabakh president initiates consultations to discuss further actions

YEREVAN, August 1`. /ARKA/. Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) President Arayik Harutyunyan will initiate consultations with all active political forces to discuss further actions and decisions as the blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan continues.

Harutyunyan said in a Facebook post that he would initiate consultations after an exclusive interview with Artsakh Public TV in a few days, in which he will present the situation, risks and prospects as openly as possible.

"We hope that Azerbaijan's genocidal policy will be stopped soon as a result of active and tough international intervention. At the same time, we are always open to discussing all problems and finding solutions through peaceful and negotiated means, but this also requires proper international participation and guarantees," Harutyunyan said.

For eight months now, 120,000 Armenians in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) have been under complete blockade of Azerbaijan with no food, medicine, fuel, gas or electricity.

The Lachin corridor, the only road connecting Artsakh with Armenia and the rest of the world was initially blocked by Azerbaijani government-sponsored fake “eco-activists” on December 12, 2022.

Azerbaijan officially institutionalized the blockage of the road by an illegal checkpoint installation on April 23, 2023, grossly violating its international obligations.

Azerbaijan continues to demonstrate a willful disregard for the provisions of the Trilateral Statement of November 9, 2020, the ECHR ruling of December 21, 2023, as well as ICJ orders issued on February 22 and July 6, 2023, calling on Azerbaijan to urgently “take all measures at its disposal to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.” -0-