YEREVAN. – A meeting was held Wednesday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) with the heads of diplomatic missions and representatives of international organizations accredited in Armenia, the MFA informs Armenian News-NEWS.am.

During the meeting, foreign diplomats were briefed on the humanitarian situation caused by Azerbaijan’s closing off of the Lachin Corridor—the only road connecting Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to Armenia—since Monday.

In his remarks, acting Armenian Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan noted that Azerbaijan's actions in recent days—including a number of similar incidents at the Lachin Corridor, continued violations of the ceasefire, and disruption of the natural gas supply to Nagorno-Karabakh—clearly demonstrate that the closure of the Lachin Corridor was planned in advance by the Azerbaijani authorities, and is aimed at creating a humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh.

It was emphasized that these actions of the Azerbaijani side are a gross violation of the tripartite statement of November 9, 2020; in particular, its point 6. In this context, the need for the international community’s targeted reaction to Azerbaijani actions was stressed as a means of preventing a humanitarian disaster in Nagorno-Karabakh and ethnic cleansing of Artsakh Armenians.

Safaryan also emphasized the necessity of withdrawing the armed forces of Azerbaijan from the sovereign territory of Armenia, as well as addressing the humanitarian problems caused by the 44-day war in 2020—including the returning of Armenian prisoners of war and civilians illegally being held in Azerbaijan.

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Vahe Gevorgyan, for his part, noted that with such actions aimed at causing a humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan grossly violates its international obligations and shows that real dialogue between Stepanakert and Baku is not possible without an international mechanism. He emphasized that such actions of Azerbaijan undermine the efforts of the Armenian side to establish stability and peace in the region.