Thursday, Armenian PM Makes First Trip To Syunik By Plane Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian is being greeted by local officials in Kapan, Syunik, after arriving by plane. . Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian on Thursday made his first visit to the country’s southern Syunik province by plane. The Prime Minister’s Office said Pashinian traveled to Kapan on board a small passenger plane ahead of the start of regular flights between Yerevan and this Syunik town next week. It said that on the trip Pashinian was accompanied by Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosian. Syunik Governor Robert Ghukasian, Kapan Mayor Gevorg Parsian and other officials reportedly welcomed the prime minister at Kapan’s recently renovated airport. A video posted by the Prime Minister’s Office showed Pashinian touring the airport to inspect its conditions. According to the report, a demonstration Yerevan-Kapan flight will take place on August 19 on the occasion of Kapan’s day, after which regular flights will be scheduled beginning next week. The first test passenger flight from Yerevan to Kapan was operated in late April to become the first such flight since the 1990s, barring one private flight made in 2017. The Civil Aviation Committee said then an Armenia-registered L-410 passenger plane (made in the Czech Republic) designed for 19 passengers successfully landed at Kapan’s Syunik Airport after a 48-minute flight from Yerevan’s International Zvartnots Airport. It described that flight as a “truly historic” event. Kapan is situated some 190 kilometers to the southeast of capital Yerevan not far from the border with Azerbaijan. The runway of its airport stretches along the border and at one point is situated less than a hundred meters from it. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh for decades. Tensions along their restive border have persisted despite a Russia-brokered ceasefire that stopped a deadly six-week Armenian-Azerbaijani war in Nagorno-Karabakh in 2020. Picket In Yerevan Demands Action To ‘Ensure Safety’ Of Karabakh Armenians • Anush Mkrtchian A protest in front of the UN office in Yerevan. . A group of several activists in Yerevan demanded on Thursday that the Armenian government take steps to ensure the safety of people in Nagorno-Karabakh who experience shortages of food, medicines, fuel and other basic products due to an ongoing blockade effectively imposed by Azerbaijan. The activists who picketed the Government building simultaneously with the weekly cabinet session did not elaborate as to how the authorities should achieve these goals, but stressed that Armenia must not recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan or make other “unilateral concessions” at negotiations with Baku. At the cabinet session Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian spoke about the August 16 discussions at the UN Security Council of the deepening humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh brought on by Azerbaijan’s de facto blockade of the Lachin corridor, the only road connecting Armenia with the region. He said that they highlighted the fact of the closure of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan. Pashinian again urged Azerbaijan to end “the illegal closure” of the Lachin corridor and allow the passage of two dozen Armenian trucks with humanitarian aid currently stranded near the entrance to the corridor on the Armenian side. “Azerbaijan, on the one hand, has closed access to Nagorno-Karabakh for 100 tons of flour sent by the Armenian government, on the other hand, it does not allow the people of Nagorno-Karabakh to harvest the sown wheat [by shooting at farmers]. This is yet another fact that substantiates the thesis put forward by international experts that Azerbaijan is carrying out a genocide through hunger and, therefore, the opening of the Lachin corridor should be considered as a step to prevent genocide,” the Armenian prime minister said. Pashinian reiterated that as the best way of ending the situation Yerevan sees a dialogue between Stepanakert and Baku, reaffirming Armenia’s commitment to peace. Government critics see the kind of position coupled with Pashinian’s repeated public statements that Armenia is ready to recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity as a blow to the right of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians to self-determination. They also claim that Pashinian and his political team thereby renege on their election pledge. Lilit Kocharian, one of the activists who initiated today’s picket, told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that one of their goals was to remind the prime minister about his 2021 election pledge of seeking “remedial secession” for Nagorno-Karabakh. “It is under this slogan that he went to the elections, and now he stands up and says that he has a mandate and can do whatever he wants. But it is not so. We just want to make it clear that he does not have a mandate to hand over Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh – ed.], he does not have a mandate from Armenia to make unilateral concessions at the expense of Armenia and Artsakh, something that has been happening for the last three years,” Kocharian said. She said that before demanding anything from international bodies, they need to raise problems in front of local politicians and statesmen, insisting that Armenia should be the guarantor of the security of Karabakh Armenians instead of handing over the responsibility to Russian peacekeepers. “These people [Karabakh Armenians] bear passports of citizens of the Republic of Armenia, and it is written there who the guarantor of the holders of those passports is. It is the Republic of Armenia,” Kocharian said. Another civil initiative called “Batsum” (Opening) has been collecting dry food near the United Nations office in Yerevan for a month, demanding that the international organization deliver it to the “besieged Artsakh people facing the threat of hunger.” According to Narek Ayvazian, a member of the initiative group, they monitor the stock 24 hours a day, believing that it will eventually reach its destination. “In any case, we hope that what we have done by raising our voice in support of our compatriots in front of international institutions is having some effect, including on decision-makers,” Ayvazian said. The Batsum initiative announced a simultaneous rally in Yerevan, Stepanakert, Los Angeles and New York later this week demanding the opening of the vital corridor between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. Pashinian Says Fact Of Lachin Corridor Closure ‘Highlighted’ At UN Security Council Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian speaks at a cabinet meeting in Yerevan (file photo) The fact of the closure of the Lachin Corridor was highlighted at the highest international instance, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian said on Thursday, summarizing the discussion on the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh held at the UN Security Council in New York the previous day. Speaking at a weekly cabinet session, Pashinian said: “Of course, it may seem strange to the Armenian public that I am stating this as a result of the discussion at the UN Security Council, but we must not forget that Azerbaijan constantly and continuously insists that the Lachin Corridor is not closed.” The Armenian premier said that the discussion at the UN Security Council also confirmed the existence of a humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh and “the fact that the lives and safety of 120,000 people of Nagorno-Karabakh are in question.” “Thirdly, it was emphasized that the decision of the International Court of Justice on ensuring uninterrupted movement of people, vehicles and cargo through the Lachin Corridor in both directions has not been implemented by Azerbaijan,” Pashinian said. “Now we can state that the truth about the illegal blocking of the Lachin Corridor and the resulting humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh has been spoken about at the highest international instance. Also, the international community has made a collective appeal to Azerbaijan to eliminate the illegal blocking of the Lachin Corridor,” the Armenian leader concluded. While most members of the UN Security Council seem to agree that the Lachin Corridor, the only road linking Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, should be reopened, it is not clear yet whether the body will adopt a resolution or a statement on the matter after two-hour long discussions on August 16. In his remarks at the meeting held at Yerevan’s request Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan formulated Armenia’s expectations from the UN Security Council. “We expect this Council to condemn the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, to call for the immediate restoration of freedom and security of movement of persons, vehicles and cargo, in line with the previously reached agreements, through the Lachin corridor; to dispatch an independent inter-agency needs assessment mission in Nagorno-Karabakh and provide humanitarian assistance to the affected population,” Mirzoyan said, in particular. Azerbaijan’s ambassador to the UN Yashar Aliyev said Armenia’s “allegations about famine and genocide are false and fictitious.” U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who presided over the meeting, urged the government of Azerbaijan to restore free movement through the Lachin Corridor “so that commercial, humanitarian, and private vehicles can reach the population of Nagorno-Karabakh.” “We also note the possibility of compromise on additional routes for humanitarian supplies,” she said. Baku offers alternative ways of supplies to Karabakh Armenians, notably through a road via Agdam, an Azerbaijani-controlled town east of Nagorno-Karabakh. Nagorno-Karabakh’s de facto ethnic Armenian government rejects the offer, considering it as a prelude to the region’s absorption into Azerbaijan. Most UN Security Council Members Back Lachin Corridor Opening During Discussions • Heghine Buniatian The UN Security Council discusses the humanitarian situation in Nagorno Karabakh, New York, . While most members of the United Nations Security Council seem to agree that the Lachin corridor linking Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia should be opened, it is not clear yet whether the body will adopt a resolution or a statement on the matter after two-hour long discussions on August 16. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in his speech clearly emphasized the expectations of the Armenian side from the UN Security Council that gathered for an urgent meeting in New York at Yerevan’s request. “We expect this Council to condemn the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, to call for the immediate restoration of freedom and security of movement of persons, vehicles and cargo, in line with the previously reached agreements, through the Lachin corridor; to dispatch an independent inter-agency needs assessment mission in Nagorno-Karabakh and provide humanitarian assistance to the affected population,” Mirzoyan said, in particular. The overwhelming majority of representatives of the Security Council’s 15 member states agreed that humanitarian issues cannot be used as a truncheon to suppress the rights of 120,000 people living in Nagorno-Karabakh. Most of the diplomats clearly emphasized that the Lachine Corridor must be opened, while others considered it possible to open other routes as well. “We urge the government of Azerbaijan to restore free movement through the corridor – so commercial, humanitarian, and private vehicles can reach the population of Nagorno-Karabakh. We also note the possibility of compromise on additional routes for humanitarian supplies,” said U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who presided over the meeting. The representative of Russia insisted that Moscow presented such a proposal to the parties several weeks ago: “On July 25, at the meeting with the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia, the Russian side proposed realistic, compromise-based solutions to ease the tension. We are talking about simultaneously opening the Agdam and Lachin corridors for the transportation of civilians and non-military goods.” The deteriorating humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is harming the peace process, the European Union ambassador said, stating that the EU border monitoring mission in Armenia has recorded a number of ceasefire violations along the Armenian-Azerbaijani border in recent months. Meanwhile, Baku’s official representative categorically denied the accusations. “Allegations about famine and genocide are false and fictitious,” Yashar Aliyev said. “Azerbaijan pursues a policy of reintegrating the ethnic Armenians of the Karabakh region, considering them as equal citizens, and guarantees for them all the rights and freedoms provided by the Constitution of Azerbaijan. We are determined to protect our sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the Azerbaijani diplomat said. The Armenian Foreign Ministry told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that after hearing the arguments of the parties, as well as the positions of the members of the Security Council the text of the resolution or statement may be put into circulation in the next 24 hours. Armenia Says Preventing Genocide ‘Core Duty’ Of UN, Its Security Council Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan addresses a UN Security Council meeting on the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, New York, August 16, 2023. Armenia urged the United Nations Security Council to prevent a “genocide” by demanding that Azerbaijan immediately restore free transit of people, vehicles and goods to Nagorno-Karabakh as the body held an emergency meeting on Wednesday at Yerevan’s request. During the meeting in New York over what Yerevan says is an ongoing blockade of the Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said that Armenia expected the UN Security Council to condemn “the use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare, prohibited by international law” and “the unlawful denial of humanitarian access and depriving the civilian population in Nagorno-Karabakh of objects indispensable to their survival, including willfully impeding relief supply and access for responses to conflict‑induced food insecurity.” “[We expect the Council] to demand full compliance with obligations under the international humanitarian law, including those related to the protection of civilians, in particular women and children, and critical civilian infrastructure; to call for the immediate restoration of freedom and security of movement of persons, vehicles and cargo, in line with the previously reached agreements, through the Lachin corridor; to ensure full cooperation of the parties in good faith with the International Committee of the Red Cross and safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance; to dispatch an independent inter-agency needs assessment mission in Nagorno-Karabakh and provide humanitarian assistance to the affected population,” Mirzoyan said. The Armenian minister emphasized that “these humanitarian issues clearly need to be resolved with the international community’s strong intervention before the negative consequences result in ethnic cleansing of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh.” “According to the elected representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh, ‘this is a deliberately engineered crime, driven by evident genocidal intent. The Azerbaijani authorities purposefully instigated the blockade of the Lachin corridor, with the knowledge that it would subject the entire population of Nagorno-Karabakh to a gradual demise, yet chose to persist with this course of action’,” Mirzoyan explained. Presenting facts and figures, the chronology and consequences of the eight-month blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and the outside world, Mirzoyan noted: “The report of former International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo reflects that it is already a genocide that is happening in Nagorno-Karabakh. According to Mr. Ocampo, “The blockade of the Lachin corridor by the Azerbaijani security forces impeding access to any food, medical supplies, and other essentials should be considered a Genocide under Article II, (c) of the Genocide Convention: ‘Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction. Starvation is the invisible Genocide weapon. Without immediate dramatic change, this group of Armenians will be destroyed in a few weeks’.” The Armenian foreign minister stressed that “the prevention of such a catastrophe is a core duty of the United Nations and this Council.” “I do believe that this distinguished body, despite of geopolitical differences, has capacity to act as genocide prevention body and not as genocide commemoration, when it might be too late,” he added. “During the previous months, many of you tried to address the issue of opening the Lachin corridor. However, despite all the calls, the commitments undertaken by the Trilateral statement from November 9, 2020, the legally binding orders of the International Court of Justice the situation did not improve on the ground. Quite contrary, Azerbaijan incrementally but consistently severed the blockade to the degree of a complete siege of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenia raised its concerns on the deepening of the humanitarian crisis as a result of a closure of the Lachin corridor in all negotiations with Azerbaijan, which were separately facilitated and mediated by the United States, the European Union and Russia. And yet to no avail. “Throughout this time, Azerbaijan’s engagement has been anything but in good faith. Back to the first discussion on this issue in the Security Council, Azerbaijan denied any responsibility on the actions thereon and even claimed that it was not controlling the Lachin corridor. Throughout the past eight months, Azerbaijan brought a number of pretexts aimed at justifying its actions. First, it was so-called eco-activists with environmental concerns, then baseless allegations of transporting arms through the Lachin corridor, furthermore military provocations and so on,” Mirozyan said. “The Lachin corridor has been agreed as a link between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh and has no alternative. The Lachin corridor should be opened, and when it comes to other possible communications, this should be addressed within an international mechanism of Baku-Stepanakert dialogue. “Today I am here to seek the support of this august body in maintaining the prospect of reaching just and comprehensive peace and stability in our region, which is seriously undermined by Azerbaijan with the humanitarian calamity on the ground in Nagorno-Karabakh. During the last two years, Armenia, with the help of the international community, spared no efforts to establish peace and stability in our region. And I believe today we still have the opportunity to reach this aim. But the current humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh has the full potential to deteriorate the prospects for peace in the whole region of South Caucasus and even beyond,” the Armenian foreign minister said. Reposted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL Copyright (c) 2023 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc. 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.