We demand that the President of France achieve the adoption of a UN Security Council resolution that will enable the Lachin corridor to be unblocked and placed under international protection. French Senate member Bruno Retailleau stated this in Armenia at Wednesday’s joint online press conference with the President of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh).

"The first reason for our visit to Armenia is that a tragedy is happening now [in Artsakh]. What is happening today is turning Artsakh into a prison and even an outdoor concentration camp," he said.

According to him, what is happening today in Artsakh leads to genocide and ethnic cleansing.

"The [Azerbaijani] attempt of genocide and ethnic cleansing is directed against the 120 thousand people [of Artsakh], including 30 thousand children. The created situation clearly corresponds to the second article of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide: creating a situation for a group of people that can lead to its destruction. The situation is very simple. Now is not the time for complaints and statements.

"We are here to tell our Armenian friends that we have not forgotten anything. We are connected by historical ties and shared values," added the French senator.

Ten trucks of humanitarian aid have been sent for Artsakh from French capital Paris, as well as the Ile-de-France, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, Hauts-de-France, Occitanie, and Pays de la Loire regions of France.