Nagorno-Karabakh

This shipment of humanitarian cargo cannot replace the regular circulation of goods; Artsakh MFA

In connection with the sending of humanitarian cargo to Artsakh, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Artsakh made a statement, which we present below:

"On September 18, 2023, about 28 tons of humanitarian cargo, containing wheat flour, medical supplies, and hygiene products, were brought to Artsakh using vehicles of the International Committee of the Red Cross through the Lachin Corridor and the Akna (Aghdam)-Stepanakert road. This humanitarian mission is the result of lengthy discussions with the participation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, the command of the Russian peacekeeping troops in Artsakh, and international mediators, taking into account the challenging humanitarian situation created by the complete blockade by Azerbaijan.

At the same time, it should be emphasized that Artsakh remains under siege, deprived of gas and electricity supplies from Armenia and the possibility of ensuring the everyday lives of the people of the republic. It is important to note that the worsening humanitarian disaster can only be stopped with a reliable and regular supply of food and necessities. This delivery of humanitarian cargo, which is less than 7 percent of the 400 tons of goods imported into Artsakh per day before the blockade, neither in volume nor in the variety of imported goods, cannot replace the regular turnover of commercial cargo, which is necessary to ensure the regular life activity and natural development of Artsakh. For:

We emphasize once again that the international actors involved in the settlement process of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict must ensure the full re-opening of the Lachin Corridor for the safe and unhindered movement of people, vehicles, and cargo in both directions by the Trilateral Declaration of November 9, 2020, and the UN International Court of Justice. Decisions. Only then will it be possible to talk about the end of the blockade and the further restoration of the conditions necessary for fully realizing the individual and collective rights of the people of Artsakh, including the right to free movement, health, education, and development?