Portugal’s Foreign Minister briefed on Nagorno-Karabakh humanitarian crisis

 20:06, 21 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 21, ARMENPRESS. On August 21, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan had a phone conversation with João Gomes Cravinho, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Portugal.

In continuation of the previous discussions held within the framework of his official visit to Lisbon in July, Minister Mirzoyan briefed his counterpart on the details of the hourly deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh resulting from Azerbaijan’s illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor, the foreign ministry said in a readout. 

Ararat Mirzoyan particularly highlighted the extremely difficult conditions for vulnerable groups, including children, women and elderly people, as well as the acute shortage of food and medicine.

Touching upon the recent discussion of the UN Security Council on August 16, the urgency of reopening the Lachin corridor was emphasized, in accordance with the Orders of the International Court of Justice and implementing the relevant calls, made including by the EU. Ararat Mirzoyan stressed that otherwise, the situation would be close to turning into a real humanitarian disaster.

The bilateral agenda of relations between Armenia and Portugal, as well as issues of Armenia-EU cooperation, particularly the activities of the EU civilian monitoring mission in Armenia were touched upon.

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS