It is welcome that leading international media continue to actively address the situation in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) as a result of the complete siege by Azerbaijan, Artsakh President Arayik Harutyunyan noted on Facebook Tuesday. He added as follows:

"The international mass media discuss in their materials both the report and assessments of the first chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, the discussion of this situation at the UN Security Council tomorrow, as well as present the facts and views given by the Artsakh authorities and the public.

"Today, the prestigious Financial Times newspaper also addressed the problems of the 120,000 population of the besieged Artsakh, as well as the possible developments of the situation.

"The medium quoted a part of my words: ‘the blockade has led to food shortages [in Artsakh], as 90 percent of food was usually imported from Armenia. There is a massive fuel shortage. Health care and other essential services are working with great difficulty. Medicines have run out, putting people's lives at risk.’

"Addressing the statements regarding Armenia’s recognition of Artsakh as a part of Azerbaijan, the article presented my appeal to the RA [(Republic of Armenia)] authorities not to take that step, emphasizing our right to self-determination.

"We, our partners and friends continue the consistent efforts to increase the level of awareness of the international community about the situation and the pressure on Azerbaijan in order to stop the subsequent course of the genocide."