09:36, 21 March 2023

YEREVAN, MARCH 21, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan continues its blockade of Lachin Corridor – Nagorno Karabakh’s only road to the outside world – under fake environmental pretexts.

Despite numerous calls by the international community to open the corridor, as well as the recent ruling by the International Court of Justice, Azerbaijan is still keeping the corridor blocked. Nagorno Karabakh is under blockade for already 100 days. Only the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Russian peacekeepers have access to Nagorno Karabakh and attempt to somewhat mitigate the worsening crisis. Azerbaijan is regularly trying to mislead the international community by showing the Red Cross and Russian peacekeeping vehicles as they pass along the corridor to advance its narrative that the road is open. However, these manipulations fail because the international community is calling for the immediate lifting of the blockade.

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 has been blocked by Azerbaijan since 12 December 2022. 

Member of the European Parliament Nathalie Loiseau from France says she cannot understand that only the ICRC and Russian troops are allowed to use the Lachin Corridor and that the world watches silently.

In an interview with ARMENPRESS, MEP Loiseau emphasized that the blockade of Lachin Corridor must be immediately lifted and the UN Security Council must form a fact-finding mission and demand all UN humanitarian agencies to have access into Nagorno Karabakh.

ARMENPRESS: It has now been 100 days since Azerbaijan blocked the Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Artsakh/Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia and the rest of the world. The International Court of Justice ordered Azerbaijan to open the corridor, but Azerbaijan ignores the ruling. In this case, don’t you think that there should be sanctions to force Azerbaijan to open the corridor?

MEP Nathalie Loiseau: If one asks for sanctions, he or she must be certain they can be adopted. I don’t know if the UN Security Council is ready for this. Strong links between Russia and Azerbaijan already prevented the UNSC from delivering a statement last year. 

But there is a new reality: the decision taken by the ICJ and the fact that Baku has so far disregarded it. 

ARMENPRESS: Does the international community consider it realistic to impose sanctions? And what has prevented the international community from doing this so far? What role can the European Parliament play in forcing Azerbaijan to end its policy?

MEP Nathalie Loiseau: The UNSC should decide a fact-finding mission and demand that all humanitarian UN agencies can reach the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. I cannot understand that only the ICRC and Russian troops are allowed to use the Lachin Corridor and that the world watches silently. The European Parliament has voted two reports, one on Armenia and the other on Azerbaijan. I co-authored the report on Armenia and amended the one on Azerbaijan to ensure they don’t contradict each other. The European Parliament’s position is crystal clear: The blockade of the Lachin Corridor must stop.

ARMENPRESS: As a result of the blockade, the people of Artsakh are facing a serious humanitarian crisis, there are widespread shortages of food, medicine and other essential supplies. With these actions Azerbaijan demonstrates its policy of ethnic cleansing of Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. In this case, how do you imagine the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and guaranteeing the security of the Armenian people of Artsakh?

MEP Nathalie Loiseau: It is time for confidence measures to take place, like the freeing of all war prisoners, the return of bodies of soldiers and civilians to their homeland, transparency on missing people and full protection of cultural heritage. Peace negotiations must be built on .

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