The Lachin Corridor has been blocked by Azerbaijan since Dec. 12
The Artsakh Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that it was committed to a peaceful settlement of the Artsakh-Azerbaijan conflict through “full-fledged” talks based on internationally accepted norms and mediation.
Referring to discussions between representatives of Artsakh and Azerbaijan on specific humanitarian issues, the Artsakh foreign ministry told Armenpress that such dialogue does not “replace full-fledged peace negotiations needed for a sustainable and comprehensive settlement of the Azerbaijan-Karabakh conflict.”
“Artsakh remains committed to the peaceful settlement of the conflict through negotiations, which should be based not on the balance of military powers or legitimizing the use of force, but the norms and principles of international law, including equal rights and self-determination of peoples. The best way to protect these principles is to involve the international community in discussions with Azerbaijan,” the Artsakh foreign ministry said in response to questions posed by Armenpress.
“We have repeatedly drawn the attention of the international community to the fact that the negotiations should take place in an agreed internationally accepted format, which would provide conditions and guarantees for the parties to implement their commitments. In this regard, it is necessary, first of all, to focus efforts on the full implementation of previously reached agreements. This will be the main indicator of the good faith approach of the parties to the peace process,” explained the foreign ministry.
“Only after that, a conducive environment can be created for discussing all other issues, including those related to ensuring the security of the people of Artsakh, exercising their rights without restrictions and respecting the free _expression_ of their will. We are convinced that it is impossible to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the conflict without addressing these important issues,” the Foreign Ministry added.
“We would also like to draw the attention of the international community to the fact that, on one hand, Azerbaijan has declared its readiness for dialogue with Artsakh and, on the other, in continues to keep the people of Artsakh under siege for almost three months now, is perpetrating terrorist attacks and is putting forward maximalist demands, in an attempt to exert pressure and achieve it goals through the use or threat of force,” the Artsakh foreign ministry said.