Tovmasyan: any peace-oriented mechanism is acceptable to Artsakh

YEREVAN, June 23. /ARKA/. Application of any peace-oriented mechanism is acceptable to Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), Artsakh National Assembly Speaker Artur Tovmasyan said today.

He said Nagorno-Karabakh would welcome any international observation or fact-finding missions that would shed light on the situation and pacify Azerbaijan's aggressive policy.

Tovmasyan welcomed the resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on ensuring free and safe access through the Lachin corridor on June 22.

He noted that the people of Artsakh have been under a total blockade for a long time and over the past week Artsakh has even been deprived of even humanitarian aid.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe resolution calls on Azerbaijan to unblock the corridor, immediately implement the decisions of the ECHR, the UN International Court of Justice, the Hague International Court of Justice, restore electricity and natural gas supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh, and ensure free movement of traffic and people through the Lachin corridor in both directions.

"It is important to note that the resolution urges Azerbaijan to abandon the hostile and threatening rhetoric used against Armenians, solve the rights and security issues of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh through dialogue with Stepanakert, as well as by ensuring an international unbiased presence," he said.

Tovmasyan reminded that Azerbaijan is also urged to invite a delegation from the Council of Europe with a fact-finding mission in the Lachin corridor and Nagorno-Karabakh to assess the situation on the ground.

Tovmasyan drew attention to the fact that the whole burden of the current situation lies with the Azerbaijani leadership, whose anti-Armenian rhetoric and provocations further escalate tensions in the region and bring the conflict to a deadlock. 

The Lachin corridor, which is the only road linking Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since December 12, 2022.

Azerbaijan has cut off natural gas and electricity supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenia making local authorities introduce rolling blackouts.

Periodically, there are failures in telecommunications and Internet connections. There is a strong shortage of resources, fuel, food, medicines and other vital goods.

On February 22, the UN International Court of Justice obliged Azerbaijan not to prevent the free movement of goods, people and vehicles through the Lachin corridor in both directions, but Baku has not fulfilled this obligation.

On April 23, Azerbaijan established a checkpoint in the Lachin corridor in the zone of responsibility of the Russian peacekeeping contingent. Following the June 15 military provocation at the Hakari Bridge, Azerbaijan banned all cross-border humanitarian traffic, including people and cargo, in both directions -0-