19:16, 9 September 2023
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz has called for a swift agreement to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and open the Lachin Corridor, according to the German government’s readout of Scholz’s phone call with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
“Today, Chancellor Scholz spoke by phone with Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. The tense situation in the border regions between Armenia and Azerbaijan was in the focus. The Federal Chancellor expressed his deep concern over the growing tension of the past weeks, particularly over the movements of military formations. The federal government is strongly urging to refrain from any military escalation. Now it is necessary to swiftly achieve an agreement over providing humanitarian aid to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, including over the opening of Lachin Corridor. The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan can only be resolved diplomatically. Now everyone should work constructively in the direction of this goal without delay,” Scholz’s office said in the readout.
In the September 9 phone call, the Armenian Prime Minister’s Office said that he briefed the German Chancellor on the Azeri military buildup and rising tensions.
Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to 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. The ICJ reaffirmed its order on 6 July 2023.
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 and experts warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing and genocide against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh.