The regular session of the Government was held under the leadership of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. At the beginning of the session, Prime Minister Pashinyan referred to the humanitarian crisis created in Nagorno-Karabakh due to Azerbaijan's illegal blocking of the Lachin Corridor and other issues.

In particular, the Prime Minister noted.

"Dear participants of the government session,
Dear people,

As a result of the illegal blockade of the Lachin Corridor, the humanitarian crisis in Nagorno Karabakh is intensifying daily. As you know, after the provocation near the Hakar bridge on June 15, Nagorno-Karabakh was deprived of all kinds of goods and supplies. Even the Russian peacekeepers stationed in Nagorno-Karabakh do not have the opportunity to deliver supplies because the Lachin corridor is completely blocked.

Azerbaijan has also disrupted natural gas and electricity supplies to Nagorno Karabakh for months. At the same time, we see a continuous escalation of Azerbaijani rhetoric and propaganda, especially in the direction of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan's baseless accusations against the Republic of Armenia do not stop; in particular, Azerbaijan continues to demand that Armenia withdraw the units of the Armenian army from Nagorno Karabakh on the condition that the Republic of Armenia does not have soldiers in Nagorno Karabakh. I record once again that there is no army of the Republic of Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh; the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army operates in Nagorno-Karabakh; the reasons for its existence can be found every day in the official propaganda and actions of Azerbaijan; the undisguised essence of which is to subject the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh to ethnic cleansing and genocide. :

We see the creeping implementation of that policy today in Nagorno-Karabakh. Part of the Azerbaijani policy of ethnic cleansing is also the targeting of international organizations and countries who objectively assess the humanitarian crisis created by Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan's actions.

In this regard, Azerbaijan has launched a large-scale counter-propaganda for months against France, whose official and public platforms are sounding targeted assessments and alarms about the illegal steps taken by Azerbaijan against the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. The propaganda against France is to prevent other countries from assessing the humanitarian crisis established in Nagorno-Karabakh. In its turn, thanks to France, Armenia should take all measures so that more and more countries and international organizations make appropriate assessments regarding the humanitarian crisis established in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Our response to this whole situation must be continued diplomatic work. No matter how hard it is morally, politically, or emotionally, we must not lose our temper.

Azerbaijan continues to accuse Armenia of not fulfilling its obligations to ensure transport links through its territory, with some ambiguous interpretations of the corridor. Here, too, I have to repeat that Armenia has never made any written or oral commitment to the corridor and will never accept such an interpretation. That Armenia has not undertaken any corridor obligations can be seen by anyone reading the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020.

As for the unblocking of regional communications under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the countries, Armenia has repeatedly declared and declared that it is ready for this. A draft decision of the Armenian government has been put into official circulation for a long time, which envisages the establishment of three checkpoints on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border by Armenia. That decision is not accepted because of the destructive approach of Azerbaijan, which has not even initiated a similar process and does not want to give way to Armenia. In other words, the logic is that the same decision should also be made by Azerbaijan so that both Armenia and Azerbaijan have these checkpoints so that the regional transport infrastructures are unblocked. Azerbaijan is not doing this, and Azerbaijan's approach is such because it has not given up its 30-year policy of blockade of the Republic of Armenia.

Azerbaijan also continues to accuse Armenia of mine-laying issues. First, the International Court of Justice, by its decision of February 22 of this year, denied the accusations directed at Armenia in the matter of mine-laying, and then, to show its sincerity and determination regarding the settlement of relations, the Armenian side in previous years transferred to Azerbaijan the maps of all the territories and minefields under the latter's control, which are being used today in Azerbaijan. are large-scale demining operations. And Azerbaijan did not take any adequate steps in response to this; to this day, it continues to keep Armenian prisoners of war and use them illegally 

a political bargaining chip.

Dear participants of the government session, dear people,

As difficult as the current state of affairs is regarding moral, political, security, and emotional aspects, the realization of the peace agenda has no alternative. The rights and security of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh should be addressed within the framework of the international mechanisms of the Baku-Stepanakert dialogue, and a peace treaty should be signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The progress recorded in the recent Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiations in Washington is not tangible, but there is some progress. Shortly, my meeting with the President of Azerbaijan is planned in Brussels through the mediation of the President of the European Council.

Unfortunately, the text of the peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan is not yet ready for signing. I hope to discuss the positive things recorded in Washington during the meeting. All issues should be resolved diplomatically. Thank you."