The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin strongly condemns the provocation being carried out by the Azerbaijani authorities, the blocking of the road connecting Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) with Armenia on false environmental grounds, as a result of which the vital rights of the people of Artsakh have been endangered—putting the Artsakh Armenians before a humanitarian disaster. The Mother See noted about this in a statement it issued. The statement continues as follows, in particular:

"Such provocative actions are aimed at carrying out ethnic [Armenian] cleansing, which once again demonstrate Azerbaijan's Armenophobic policy. The established status makes indisputable the reality that the safe life of Artsakh Armenians is not possible within Azerbaijan.

The Catholicos of All Armenians has already sent petitions to the heads of Sister Churches, international and inter-church organizations—to react to these inhuman actions of Azerbaijan and to overcome the catastrophic humanitarian situation of Artsakh Armenians.

The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin expects that the international community will give proper assessments to the provocations of Azerbaijan violating the fundamental norms of human rights, which [i.e., the provocations] greatly endanger the fragile peace and stability of the region.

We also urge the chairman of the Board of the Muslims of the Caucasus, Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, to take tangible and objective steps—true to his humanitarian calling—to rule out the provocative actions of Azerbaijan."