Azerbaijan entirely blocks Lachin Corridor by installing cement barrier
Blocking of Lachin is Violation of Agreements, Moscow Warns
Russia and the European Union reacted to Azerbaijan’s decision to further block the Lachin Corridor by installing a cement barrier at the illegally built checkpoint, each calling on Baku to immediately lift the blockade that has been in place since December 12.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Friday that Azerbaijan’s actions were in direct violation of the November 9, 2020 agreement reached between the leaders of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan.
“Regarding the closure of the entrance to the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan, we would like to draw attention to the fact that such actions are a violation of the provisions of the November 9, 2020 declaration by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia,” Zakharova said.
“Such steps lead to escalation of tensions and do not contribute to maintaining a calm atmosphere in the process of normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia with the support of Russia,” added Zakharova.
Russia also called on Baku to completely unblock traffic through the Lachin Corridor, and also emphasized the importance of “the consistent implementation of the tripartite agreements.”
Also on Friday, the EU voiced its serious concern about the almost complete blockade of the Lachin Corridor and considered it a direct threat to the livelihood of the local population, which “raises serious concerns about a possible humanitarian crisis.”
“The almost complete blocking of the Lachin Corridor since June 15 is very worrying. This directly threatens the livelihood of the local population and raises serious concerns about a possible humanitarian crisis,” said Nabila Massrali, a spokesperson for the EU’s Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
“The EU has been closely following the growing tension between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the past few weeks, with daily shootings along the international border of the two countries, in addition to similar incidents along the Karabakh line of contact,” Massrali added.
“Following a series of recent high-level meetings, the EU continues to engage at the highest political level to help ease these tensions and find mutually acceptable solutions,” the spokesperson added.
“Blocking the Lachin Corridor is illegal and must be stopped,” Nathalie Loiseau, the chair of the European Parliament’s security and defense subcommittee, said on Tuesday after visiting the entrance of the Lachin Corridor with the EU’s monitoring mission in Armenia.
“The rights and well-being of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh must be protected and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia must be respected,” Loiseau told reporters on Tuesday.
Loiseau took to Twitter on Friday to criticize Russia and admonish European countries for their lack of response to the situation in Artsakh.
“We have witnessed the complete closure of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan. The 120,000 Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh are cut off from everything. The Russian soldiers who are there to protect them, they are inert,” Loiseau wrote on social media.
“The EU mission is accurately documenting the situation, and Armenia welcomes its presence there. Thus, the European institutions are fully aware of the situation. Their response is not commensurate with the humanitarian crisis and the perceived military threat,” Loiseau added.