10:25, 2 March 2023
YEREVAN, MARCH 2, ARMENPRESS. Mexico doesn’t believe that sanctions are an effective method and that eventually the restrictions only harm the people, the Ambassador of Mexico to Armenia Eduardo Villegas Megías has said.
The Ambassador made the remarks in an exclusive interview when asked if he believes that it’s time for the international community to start to consider imposing sanctions against Azerbaijan for blockading the Lachin corridor and failing to comply with the ICJ order.
“We are aware of the Lachin Corridor and the humanitarian crisis facing the people in Nagorno Karabakh. In turn, Mexico expressed its stance on many occasions during international forums. This issue must be resolved through negotiations. Our country truly aspires to peace and supports peace. We believe that the best way is to sit around the negotiating table and find a solution in a civilized manner, and the interests of the peoples must be a priority in the solution. We don’t believe that in this regard sanctions could be effective. In relation to the special military operation in Ukraine many countries tried to impose sanctions against the sides, especially against Russia, but Mexico did not join these sanctions. During international forums Mexico numerously outlined that the issue must not impact the way of life and quality of life of the people of Nagorno Karabakh. We’ve numerously called on Armenia and Azerbaijan to sit around the negotiating table in order to give a solution to this issue, because ultimately it is the people who'd suffer from sanctions. The sanctions against Russia are a vivid example, they actually don’t produce the desired result and only the people suffer,” Ambassador Eduardo Villegas Megías said.
The United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan on February 22 to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. The Lachin Corridor – the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) with the rest of the world – is blocked by Azerbaijan since 12 December 2022.