19:24, 28 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 28, ARMENPRESS. Cyprus has condemned the ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor and expressed deep concern about the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Cyprus condemns the ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor and is deeply concerned with the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan must urgently lift the blockade and guarantee safety and freedom of movement, in line with the 2020 ceasefire statement and ICJ decision,” the Foreign Ministry of Cyprus tweeted on July 28.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) – ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions.  Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno-Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations.