The blocking of the Lachin corridor is illegal and must be stopped. Nathalie Loiseau (France), Chair of the Subcommittee on Security and Defense of the European Parliament, stated this at a press conference in Armenia Wednesday.

"As much as Armenia is dedicated to peace, Azerbaijan also is obligated to prove that it is also dedicated to peace. The European Union is making its best efforts to facilitate contacts between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The last contact [between them] took place in Chisinau. Dates of additional meetings are planned. We are putting in our best efforts to reduce the tension; the European [civil monitoring] mission in Armenia should contribute to this. Only one country is enough to start a war, but the will of two countries is enough to stop it. The time has come for peace to be established. The position of the European Union is that the blocking of the Lachin corridor [by Azerbaijan] is illegal and should be stopped. The rights of the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh must be protected, and the determination of the Armenian authorities deserves respect. Since the blockade of Lachin is illegal, I call on the ambassadors accredited in Baku, if Azerbaijan invites them to visit the illegally located checkpoint, to refrain from accepting the invitation, adhering to the judgment of the Hague court," said Loiseau.

The member of the European Parliament told that during her current visit to Armenia she had meetings with the prime minister and high-ranking officials. Also, she was in Syunik Province, met with the provincial governor and the mayor of Goris city.

"We approached the entrance to the Lachin corridor to see with our own eyes the illegal blockade of the corridor by the Azerbaijani authorities. We heard about an increasing number of armed incidents in which the sovereign territory of Armenia is being invaded [by Azerbaijan]. We learned about the Yeraskh [village] incident when civilians were targeted. We got familiarized with the incident when Azerbaijanis had tried to place an Azerbaijani flag in the Lachin corridor. I will take this message with me to Brussels and tell about what I saw and heard," Nathalie Loiseau said.