During the Munich Security Conference held on February 18, 2023 the president of Azerbaijan made some statements that were intended to veil the criminal policy conducted against the people of Artsakh and to distort the essence of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict by breaking the cause-and-effect links. This is said in a statement of the MFA of the Republic of Artsakh.
"In particular, the President of Azerbaijan once again tried to deny the obvious fact of the blockade of Artsakh, the existence of which, except for Azerbaijan itself, is recognized by the international community. As the so-called proof the data about the travel of 2500 vehicles of the Russian peacekeeping contingent and the International Committee of the Red Cross during the whole period of the blockade and the evacuation of 100 patients to the hospitals in Armenia by means of the ICRC were cited. However, these data prove the exact opposite of what Baku claims. During the 73 days of the blockade, fewer vehicles drove through the Lachin corridor than during the three normal days in the pre-blockade period. All vehicles passing through the Lachin corridor belonged to either the Russian peacekeeping contingent or ICRC. Other vehicles belonging to citizens, governmental structures of the Republic of Artsakh or carrying out commercial transportation are not allowed to pass through the Lachin corridor," the statement reads.
As Artsakh Foreign Ministry underlines, seriously ill patients can be evacuated to Yerevan only through the ICRC, which once again points to the lack of free passage through the Lachin corridor. Moreover, at the beginning of the blockade, at least one seriously ill patient died because it was impossible to transport him urgently to Yerevan for further treatment. The fact that many citizens of the Republic are unable to return to Artsakh and that hundreds of separated families have no possibility of reunification is further evidence of the blockade imposed by Azerbaijan.
It is noteworthy that, during discussions with Azerbaijani journalists following a trilateral meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian and United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, the Azerbaijani President announced Baku's proposal to set up a checkpoint in the Lachin corridor. It becomes evident from his words that Baku had been hatching these plans long before the blockade was imposed.
All the aforementioned facts clearly prove that, apart from creating unbearable living conditions for the people of Artsakh, the blockade is also aimed at revising the provisions of the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020. Azerbaijan clearly seeks to legitimize its intention to revise the provisions of the trilateral statement. These attempts must be most resolutely opposed by all actors involved in the normalization of relations in the region. The full functioning of the Lachin corridor must be restored in accordance with the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020 and without any preconditions.
"The Azerbaijani attempts to interfere in the inner political life of Artsakh, as well as its vision of the dialogue between Stepanakert and Baku are also categorically unacceptable for the official Stepanakert. In this regard, we reiterate that a comprehensive settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict should be achieved through negotiations which ensure equal rights for the parties and do not contain conditions that prejudge the outcome of the negotiation process. In this context, we consider it necessary to restore the international mediation format as an additional guarantee of the irreversibility of the peace process. We reiterate that the outcome of the unlawful use or threat of force by Azerbaijan cannot serve as a starting point on the path to peace, stability and security," Artsakh Foreign Ministry statement reads.
