The Artsakh Foreign Ministry stated establishing an Azerbaijani checkpoint in the Lachin corridor.
“After keeping Artsakh under an inhuman blockade through its agents for more than 4 months, on April 23, Azerbaijan illegally set up a checkpoint in the Lachin Corridor, on the bridge over the Hakar River. Once again, we emphasize that Azerbaijan’s steps aimed at establishing control over the Lachin Corridor directly contradict point 6 of the Trilateral Declaration of November 9, 2020. Under the tripartite declaration, the President of Azerbaijan’s signature is the state’s direct and unequivocal agreement to transfer exclusive control over the Lachin Corridor to the Russian peacekeeping forces.
Since the establishment of the ceasefire, Azerbaijan has repeatedly violated 2020 almost all provisions of the Tripartite Declaration of November 9. However, the official statement of the Azerbaijani side about setting up a checkpoint testifies to Baku’s intention to abandon the obligations assumed by this document.
In this context, we expect an unequivocal and adequate response and practical steps from the wider international community, the parties to the Trilateral Declaration, and, first of all, the Russian Federation, which is the guarantor of the declaration’s implementation, to prevent the installation of the Azerbaijani checkpoint, to open the Lachin Corridor, and to fulfill the obligations assumed by Azerbaijan in the Trilateral Declaration. and in the direction of ensuring the physical security of the people of Artsakh.
It is evident that by setting up the checkpoint, Azerbaijan is trying to give new momentum to its policy of ethnic cleansing in an atmosphere of complete impunity and permissiveness. The leadership of Azerbaijan not only does not hide its genocidal actions but also announces them in advance without receiving condemnation or opposition from the international community.
It is noteworthy that the massive violations of the rights of the people of Artsakh by Azerbaijan are carried out despite the efforts and statements of international mediators to establish peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan uses the Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiation process to exclude the implementation of possible measures to prevent its criminal policy by the involved states.
The lack of an adequate response by the states that are not parties to the tripartite declaration but are responsible for international peace and security, including the prevention of ethnic cleansing and genocide, and the proposals to discuss Azerbaijan’s illegal demands are tantamount to a concession of Azerbaijan’s genocidal policy. Moreover, any proposal to discuss Azerbaijan’s wrongful claims is an attempt to legitimize them and encourage Baku’s criminal agenda.
In the current situation, the UN Security Council must take decisive steps to prevent the genocidal policy of Azerbaijan. We demand that the member states of the UN Security Council fulfill their obligations under the UN Charter and international law and end Azerbaijan’s criminal policy of ethnic cleansing of Artsakh and destruction of its people.”
It should be noted that, on April 23, the Azerbaijani side closed the Hakar River bridge on the Artsakh-Armenia border yesterday.
