Artsakh authorities accuse Azerbaijan of deliberately sabotaging the only pipeline that delivers gas to Artsakh
For 18 days the population of Artsakh has been deprived of natural gas as Azerbaijan continues to block the supply to Artsakh, leaving more than 120,000 people without heat in freezing temperatures.
Artsakh authorities, with the support of Russian peacekeepers, continue negotiations with Azerbaijanis to restore the flow of gas. Artsakh Foreign Minister David Babayan told Armenpress that there is still no news about potential timeframes for restoring the gas supply.
“The government of the Republic of Artsakh seeks to resolve this highly important humanitarian issue as soon as possible and we assure that we are taking all possible measures also in the diplomatic arena, which naturally aren’t subject to publicizing,” the government’s Information Center said on Thursday.
President Arayik Harutyunyan has authorized Secretary of the Security Council Vitaly Balasanyan to act as the negotiator on behalf of Artsakh, the press statement said.
In an interview with Armenpress Wednesday, Babayan said that in violation of humanitarian norms, Azerbaijan is advancing a politic of terrorizing the Armenian population of Artsakh.
Babayan reiterated that Azerbaijan intentionally cut off the gas supply, among others also for political reasons. He described Azerbaijan’s actions as terrorism against the Artsakh population in violation of humanitarian norms, or humanitarian terrorism.
“The situation is difficult, but it is what it is, we are withstanding and we will continue to withstand no matter what,” Babayan said.
At a protest in Stepanakert, women in Artsakh call on international organizations to act to avert a humanitarian crisis
On Thursday, women in Artsakh held a protest rally in Stepanakert to urge the international community to take action against Azerbaijan for causing the humanitarian crisis.
“All international organizations should take clear actions pursuant to humanitarian principles, instead of making calls,” said of the women, according to Armenpress.
The demonstrators said that right now there is a humanitarian disaster in Artsakh and the entire world knows that Azerbaijan is the perpetrator.
They warned that Azerbaijan could exploit the situation and aggravate it even more, adding that the residents of Artsakh are equally entitled to all the rights that citizens of other countries have.
“But the most painful thing is that there is no single organization, structure that is forcing the enemy to stop its atrocities,” one of the demonstrators told Armenpress, urging international organizations to deal with the issue of the security of Artsakh’s population.
“None of us wants to leave their home. Let Azerbaijan understand this, the people of Artsakh lived here and will continue living here,” she added.
The European Union expressed concern on Wednesday about the gas blockade
“The EU is concerned about renewed cuts in gas supply to Stepanakert. It is urgently needed to resume supplies to affected local population. The EU calls on authorities in control to enable it, especially in the current harsh weather,” Peter Stano, lead spokesperson for the external affairs of the EU, said on Twitter.
Meanwhile, Freedom House condemned the disruption of gas supply to Artsakh by Azerbaijan.
“Azerbaijan must prevent a humanitarian crisis by restoring unhindered gas supplies to the people of Nagorno Karabakh, who have endured weeks of freezing temps without heat or hot water,” Freedom House said on Twitter.