Statue of a Dictator (Aliyev Clan)

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Armenpress.am

Freedom House calls for pressure on Azerbaijan to end the deliberate starvation of innocent civilians

12:52, 26 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 25, ARMENPRESS. Freedom House has called on Azerbaijan to allow the Red Cross to deliver humanitarian aid to Nagorno Karabakh and open the Lachin Corridor.

“We urge Azerbaijan to allow ICRC to provide vital humanitarian assistance to Nagorno Karabakh & immediately work to ensure freedom of movement by opening the Lachin corridor, guaranteeing unrestricted movement of individuals, vehicles & cargo. The deteriorating humanitarian situation in the region has deprived civilians of life-saving medication and essential goods. We urge democratic governments to exert pressure on Azerbaijan, calling for an end to the deliberate starvation of innocent civilians,” Freedom House tweeted.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1116204.html?fbclid=IwAR0s9NCh_gqOqOai2WpToO3hR4vjtprOKxoK6dzNS5y4Jy_lFZNiCa-6aLU

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Armenpress.am

It is incumbent on Azerbaijani authorities to guarantee safety, freedom of movement along Lachin corridor - EU's Borrell

09:53, 27 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 27, ARMENPRESS. The European Union has called on the Azerbaijani authorities to reopen the Lachin Corridor.

In a statement, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell said that Azerbaijan’s ‘readiness’ to supply goods via the city of Aghdam should not be seen as an alternative to the reopening of the Lachin corridor.

“The European Union is deeply concerned about the serious humanitarian situation affecting the local population in the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. The movement through the Lachin corridor remains obstructed for more than seven months, despite Orders by the International Court of Justice to reopen it.

“Medical supplies and essential goods are in short supply or have already run out, with dire consequences for the local population. It is incumbent on the Azerbaijani authorities to guarantee safety and freedom of movement along the Lachin corridor imminently and not to permit the crisis to escalate further.

“We took note of the expressed readiness of the Azerbaijani authorities to also supply goods via the city of Aghdam. This should not be seen as an alternative to the reopening of the Lachin corridor. The EU also notes that ICRC activities in the region have been heavily impacted and calls for their full resumption, including medical evacuations and humanitarian supplies. The EU stresses that humanitarian access must not be politicised by any actors.

“The European Union, and in particular President of the European Council Charles Michel, has been heavily engaged in supporting the normalisation process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as in promoting a dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert/Khankendi. This also requires the genuine commitment of all sides to negotiated outcomes and a future built on common interests and mutual trust,” the statement reads.

Earlier in July, when Azerbaijani authorities said they were willing to send what they described as ‘aid’ to Nagorno-Karabakh through Aghdam, a group of protesters in Nagorno-Karabakh blocked the road and said that Azerbaijan’s announcement was actually an attempt to subjugate and blackmail them.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) - ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations and the Red Cross has been facilitating the medical evacuations of patients.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1116257.html?fbclid=IwAR3HZIyKZJvhgn96yMWB75TvK5DPNYeh_nGlHlsA5FxsNDY4Qk5A5HuSInI

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Armenpress.am

Mr. Borrell, the Lachin Corridor is not blocked by some natural force, it is the authorities of Azerbaijan. MEP Weimers

18:43, 27 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 27, ARMENPRESS. Member of the European Parliament Charlie Weimers calls on the EU to put pressure on Azerbaijan so that the latter allows humanitarian aid to enter Artsakh.

In a conversation with the Brussels-based correspondent of ARMENPRESS, Weimers referred to the statement of the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, and asked, "And what is "obstructing" the passability of the Lachin Corridor, Mr. Borrell? It is neither a stone nor some force of nature, but the authorities of Azerbaijan themselves prevent the passage of humanitarian aid. It is not about "any actor" or "two sides", as we often heard in the past, but about Azerbaijan, which uses humanitarian access to meet its own goals", said Charlie Weimers and conveyed that his thoughts are with the people of Artsakh.

 

 

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Asbarez.com

France Urges Baku to Open Lachin Corridor

by Asbarez Staff

July 27, 2023

in Armenia, Artsakh, Latest, News, Top Stories

France's Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna meets with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Yerevan on Apr. 27

France, once again, has called on Azerbaijan to “fulfill it international obligations” and lift the almost eight-month-old blockade of Artsakh, the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

“France expresses its regret on the occasion of Azerbaijan’s persistent blocking of the Lachin Corridor, which contradicts the obligations undertaken under the ceasefire agreement and harms the negotiation process,” the statement said.

The French foreign ministry statement followed a more direct call from the European Union foreign affairs chief Josep Borrel, who on Thursday called on Baku to fulfill its obligation as mandated by the International Court of Justice, which in February ordered Azerbaijan to ensure the “unimpeded movement” along the Lachin Corridor.

Borrel also signaled to Baku at its latest scheme to offer Aghdam as an alternative route for transporting humanitarian assistance Artsakh was not viable.

“Aghdam should not be seen as an alternative to the reopening of the Lachin Corridor,” Borrel said. In its statement, France expressed its full support to the EU official’s remarks.

“France calls on Azerbaijan to fulfill its international obligations, in particular, to apply the provisional measures mentioned in the decision of the International Court of February 22, which are mandatory. France calls for the restoration of the free movement of cargo, people and goods in both directions through the Lachin Corridor and the continuous supply of gas and electricity to the population,” the French foreign ministry statement said.

Official Paris also reiterated remarks made by French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, who during her visit to Armenia in April said that her country “remains fully committed to the establishment of a stable and just peace in the region.”

https://asbarez.com/france-urges-baku-to-open-lachin-corridor/?fbclid=IwAR00pkWp61zRk255_azXJclLbHJKMOl23vVxtlsFaCbjHX_tpRSRjPdyGIM

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Armenpress.am

MEP Lars Patrick Berg calls on German government, EU to pressure Azerbaijan to open Lachin Corridor

10:27, 28 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 28, ARMENPRESS. German Member of the European Parliament Lars Patrick Berg has called on the German government and the EU to pressure Azerbaijan into ending the blockade of the Lachin Corridor and not allowing an escalation of the situation.

“The Lachin Corridor must be opened. The fact that even the humanitarian aid by the International Committee of the Red Cross isn’t reaching Nagorno-Karabakh is a totally unacceptable situation. The federal government and the EU Commission must put pressure on Azerbaijan so the situation doesn’t escalate,” Berg tweeted.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) - ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno-Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations and the Red Cross has been facilitating the medical evacuations of patients.

Armenia has sent a humanitarian convoy carrying over 361 tons of food and medical supplies for Nagorno-Karabakh. The convoy stopped near the border village of Kornidzor near the entrance of the blockaded Lachin Corridor.

If Azerbaijan blocks the Armenian humanitarian aid convoy from entering Lachin Corridor it corroborates Armenia’s fears that Baku seeks to commit genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan warned Thursday.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1116341.html?fbclid=IwAR0of8M-owFuGzOexh9_GaW6NRTdw29JcgnDVn3memS9hXqPYYqzccke9c8

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Armenpress.am

Lord Alton of Liverpool calls on British government to address Nagorno-Karabakh aid at UN Security Council

10:42, 28 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 28, ARMENRESS. British politician, crossbench peer Lord Alton of Liverpool has called on the U.K. government to urgently discuss at the UN Security Council the fact that humanitarian aid is not reaching Nagorno-Karabakh.

“International Red Cross expresses concern that humanitarian aid is not reaching the Armenian people of Nagorno Karabakh. This should be urgently raised by the U.K. at the UN Security Council,” the member of the House of Lords tweeted.

On July 25, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned that the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh would further deteriorate with humanitarian convoys being blocked.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) - ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno-Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations and the Red Cross has been facilitating the medical evacuations of patients.

Armenia has sent a humanitarian convoy carrying over 361 tons of food and medical supplies for Nagorno-Karabakh. The convoy stopped near the border village of Kornidzor near the entrance of the blockaded Lachin Corridor.

If Azerbaijan blocks the Armenian humanitarian aid convoy from entering Lachin Corridor it corroborates Armenia’s fears that Baku seeks to commit genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan warned Thursday.

Azerbaijan has so far refused to let the convoy through.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1116342.html?fbclid=IwAR2TPwaCtcYQ3IMK2sOh_TfKDNzrxarxrtt04WxmGPHhPw4GbT8Ti8XQe_I

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Armenpress.am

Netherlands expresses ‘serious concern’ over humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh

12:17, 28 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 28, ARMENPRESS. The Netherlands has expressed ‘serious concern’ on the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.

In a statement on Twitter, the Foreign Ministry of the Netherlands said that it fully supports the statement on the situation by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell.

“The Netherlands follows the humanitarian situation affecting the population in the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast with serious concern, and fully supports the statement of Josep Borrell,” the Dutch foreign ministry tweeted.

On July 27, Borrell said it is incumbent on the Azerbaijani authorities to guarantee safety and freedom of movement along the Lachin corridor imminently and not to permit the crisis to escalate further.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) - ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations and the Red Cross has been facilitating the medical evacuations of patients.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1116348.html?fbclid=IwAR31gjsSEkfcC2LCFqeaIDJNVjkqp5anGqb0F7CnPSbmCvGEDCEV6JNAHCU

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Armenpress.am

Azerbaijan subjects Nagorno-Karabakh to starvation while talking about ‘reintegration’ – Syunik governor to ambassadors

15:08, 28 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 28, ARMENPRESS. Governor of Syunik Robert Ghukasyan has briefed foreign ambassadors visiting the entrance to the Lachin Corridor on the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh resulting from the Azerbaijani blockade.

“You can see that the vehicles carrying humanitarian cargo are waiting here for a long time now. We had sent little quantity of medication and food to Artsakh before this moment, but in the recent period sending anything has become impossible. The cars stopped here and it is impossible to transport the humanitarian cargo to the other side of the border,” Ghukasyan said.

The governor pointed out that the Azerbaijani authorities are talking about “reintegration” when people, including children in Nagorno-Karabakh are starving.

“Do they intend to reach that integration by way of starvation to death? This is unacceptable for us all. This humanitarian cargo must reach the people who are impatiently waiting for it, who are hungry. Otherwise we would all silently witness the situation get worse with every second,” Ghukasyan told the ambassadors.

Representatives of the diplomatic corps in Armenia visited on Friday the village of Kornidzor in the Syunik Province where a humanitarian convoy carrying emergency food and medical aid to Nagorno-Karabakh remains blocked by Azerbaijan at the entrance of Lachin Corridor for the second day.

On July 25, the Government of Armenia said that it will try to send over 360 tons of flour, cooking oil, sugar, and other foodstuffs and medication to Nagorno-Karabakh to mitigate the humanitarian crisis resulting from the blockade of Lachin Corridor. Armenia requested the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh to escort the aid. Armenia has also requested Azerbaijan to not obstruct the convoy.

On Thursday, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Azerbaijan would only corroborate Armenia’s fears that Baku seeks to commit genocide in Nagorno-Karabakh if the convoy gets blocked by Azerbaijan.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) - ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno-Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations and the Red Cross has been facilitating the medical evacuations of patients.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1116372.html?fbclid=IwAR2PtuXSDs7wsGg-pr3sbqN8saxESSis51Pmrwlhx-OJM4jXnfvFnEbm8ko

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Armenpress.am

US-based StopAntisemitism organization ‘horrified’ by anti-Armenian article published in Azerbaijani newspaper

17:44, 28 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 28, ARMENPRESS. An article published by the Azerbaijani AzerNews media outlet has been strongly condemned by StopAntisemitism, a US-based organization fighting and exposing anti-Semitism.

“StopAntisemitism is horrified to see a newspaper in Azerbaijan publish this. Adolf Hitler massacred 6 millions Jews and 5 million others. The word “humanist” and his name do not belong in the same sentence. Shame on you AzerNews,” StopAntisemitism tweeted after the Azeri media outlet published the anti-Armenian article with the outrageous headline ‘Hitler is more humanist than any Armenian leader in history’.

Armenia’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe Arman Khachatryan, reacting to the headline, called on the Council of Europe to urge Azerbaijan to take decisive measures to cease state-sponsored hate speech, racial, ethnic and religious intolerance towards Armenians.

“This is deplorable display of hate speech, clearly racist content and praisal of Nazism. Council of Europe should urge Azerbaijan to take decisive measures to cease state sponsered hate speech, racial, ethnic&religious intolerance towards Armenians,” Khachatryan tweeted.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1116387.html?fbclid=IwAR17UyojWrZanVY_iqyI5pyH9mkVcCaaVZFsbeMCppJjJWbCkMImE_4_bnc

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POLITICO

July 29 2023

Medical convoys from Nagorno-Karabakh suspended after Armenian detained by Azerbaijan

The standoff comes amid warnings that a blockade could lead to a humanitarian catastrophe in the battle-scarred region.

BY GABRIEL GAVIN

JULY 29, 2023 4:50 PM CET

2

The transfer of critically ill patients from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia has been halted, local Armenian leaders said, after a man traveling with the Red Cross to seek treatment was arrested by Azerbaijani forces on war crimes charges.

Gurgen Nersisyan, the state minister of the breakaway region’s unrecognized government, announced on Saturday that Vagif Khachatryan was “taken from the checkpoint” installed by Baku on the border with Armenia and that his whereabouts are unknown. Speaking to POLITICO, one of his advisers, Artak Beglaryan, confirmed that all medical evacuations have been stopped indefinitely as a result.

In a statement shared with state media, Azerbaijan’s prosecutor’s office confirmed Khachatryan had been detained, adding that he stands accused of committing “genocide.” Officials allege he was involved in the killing of 25 people in the village of Meshali during the first Nagorno-Karabakh war in 1991, which saw hundreds of thousands of ethnic Azerbaijanis forced to flee their homes in the breakaway region.

Inside Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized borders, Nagorno-Karabakh has been de facto controlled by its ethnic Armenian population since then, with a brief but bloody conflict in 2020 leaving the Lachin Corridor as the only road in or out. Under the terms of a cease-fire agreement, the highway was to be guarded by Russian peacekeepers, but Moscow’s troops have been all but missing in action in recent months, while Azerbaijan has moved to restrict access to the region.

The Red Cross did not immediately respond to a query from POLITICO. The Swiss-based aid organization issued a statement on Tuesday in which it said it was being prevented from bringing supplies into the region and warned that, without access to food and medicine, “the humanitarian situation will further deteriorate.”

The EU, the U.S., the U.K. and a host of other countries have called on Azerbaijan to reopen the Lachin Corridor to civilian traffic and uphold a ruling from the International Court of Justice that said Baku must “ensure movement” along the highway.

However, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has accused foreign nations of bias and “blatant misinterpretation” of the court’s decision. It insists it is open to supplying Nagorno-Karabakh from inside the country — a suggestion local Armenian leaders have ruled out.

https://www.politico.eu/article/medical-convoy-nagorno-karabakh-armenia-azerbaijan-conflict/

[Yervant1]

July 30 2023

Fifty Shades of Aliyev's Assistant, Hikmet Hajiyev

Since the day of Azerbaijan's creation, lies and forgery have been the foundation of this fictitious statehood, endowed with the psychology of a thief and a criminal, the political and public figures of that "No-country" have oppressed their own people for years, waged expansionist wars with neighbouring states, and misled the international community.

One of the new but noteworthy propagandists of this phenomenon is a demented and insane Himket Hajiyev, the assistant to the president of Azerbaijan. Hajiyev stands out among his fellow criminals due to his cosmic stupidity. From his publications and public speeches, it is evident that we are dealing with a pathetic copy of a demented personality, which occasionally exhibits human reflexes.

Hajiyev was appointed to his position in 2019. Though a relatively short period, it was enough for Himket Hajiyev to reveal his lack of qualities.

Now let's not dwell on the trivial details, like his speeches during the COVID epidemic, which were peppered with cheap and misleading statements, and false information about his personal life. By the way, Azerbaijan is one of the few countries that have not yet lifted restrictions related to the epidemic, such as closed borders. Some experts interpret this not as a caring attitude towards their own public, but as another lever to ensure the manageability of the new expansionist war.

Hajiyev's first significant lie appeared during the 44-day war in 2020. At that time, he published a picture from near the Mingechauri reservoir, claiming that Armenian artillery had tried to hit the reservoir. But the picture showed a projectile embedded in the ground, and even without special technical means, it was visible that the projectile was literally nailed into a pre-dug hole.

The obvious forgery received a great response in both the Armenian and international press. The forgery was quickly exposed.

During the same period, Hajiyev also accused the Greeks because of participation in the war by Armenians. During his briefing on October 2, 2022 Hajiyev announced that there were Greek mercenaries in the territory of Armenia. This statement was also patently false and unsubstantiated. This brazen forgery found a great response in Greece, and public circles strongly criticized Himket Hajiev, labeling him a liar.

After these shameful incidents, the assistant to the President of Azerbaijan went underground for some time, trying to escape the negative attention surrounding his person. Even then, he did not stop taking an active part in political processes, promoting obviously false and misleading theses, which were, however, aligned with Azerbaijan's state politics and not Hajiyev's personal views.

Hajiyev's next fiasco occurred in early December 2022, during the blockade of the Lachin Corridor.

At the beginning of the blockade, Hajiyev accused Russian peacekeepers of blocking the corridor. At this stage, the pearls of the flight of Hajiyev's thoughts were presented to us with this emphasis. Additionally, Hajiyev claimed that Azerbaijani environmentalists were carrying out a peaceful protest action. It was clear from the beginning, and later confirmed, that the goal of that peaceful protest was to completely blockade the Lachin Corridor.

Months later, in an interview with another media, Hajiyev claimed that the Corridor was not blocked at all, as stated by the Armenian side, on the contrary, he argued that the Lachin Corridor remained open for the transportation of humanitarian goods and people, supporting his claim with unsubstantiated statistical data.

Perhaps the listed examples are enough to form an opinion of Himket Hajiyev, nevertheless, as you know, perfection knows no bounds, even if it is about perfection with a negative sign.

Another controversy arose on July 26 when the Government of the Republic of Armenia sent trucks loaded with humanitarian cargo to alleviate the basic needs of our compatriots who had been blockaded in Nagorno Karabakh for 8 months. However, the vehicles did not reach Stepanakert, as the Azerbaijani authorities prohibited the transportation of humanitarian goods through the Lachin corridor.

By the way, the trucks are still located in the area adjacent to the village of Kornidzor in the Republic of Armenia, near the criminal Azerbaijani so-called Lachin check point.

On the same evening of July 26, when RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan wrote on his Twitter page that we cannot turn a blind eye to the situation in which the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh found themselves, and the 360 tons of cargo were sent to Nagorno-Karabakh exclusively for humanitarian purposes, at that time Himket Hajiyev wrote a shameful comment on the same Twitter, attaching Nikol Pashinyan's statement. Hajiyev claimed that during the tripartite meeting of Charles Michel, Nikol Pashinyan, and Ilham Aliyev in Brussels, an agreement was reached that the Aghdam-Stepanakert road should be used as an alternative to the Lachin Corridor.

This completely false, vile, and misleading claim was immediately rejected by European officials. Hours later, the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, issued a statement stating that the Aghdam-Stepanakert road cannot be an alternative to the Lachin Corridor and that the corridor must be unblocked immediately.

In fact, Hajiyev's next lie has already affected Armenian-Azerbaijani relations and entered the international arena. He has been accused of spreading blatantly false information to discredit European politicians in an attempt to involve them in his manipulative actions.

By Editor-in-Chief “Respublica Armenia” newspaper Ararat Petrosyan.

https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/07/30/shades-aliyev-hikmet-hajiyev/

[MosJan]

[MosJan]

[MosJan]

just in case ^$#@% you and yours aliev

[Yervant1]

July 31 2023

Azerbaijan rejects US mediation in Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations to hide its threats of war

There's information that in the coming days, representatives of Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh will meet in a third country in order to negotiate, with the USA serving as an intermediary state. The Karabakh-Azerbaijani negotiations will probably take place in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria.

There's a need for official confirmation of the information, but this may only happen if the negotiation process implies confidentiality. This is at least the second attempt to organise a Baku-Stepanakert meeting in Bulgaria. The previous one was months ago, in May-June, but it failed due to Azerbaijan's maximalist position.

In particular, the international mediators conveyed Azerbaijan's proposals to Stepanakert. It was a program to integrate the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh into Azerbaijan. The Karabakh side perceived it not as an invitation to negotiations but as a presentation of a request by Azerbaijan. Due to the maximalism of Azerbaijan, that meeting didn't take place.

Azerbaijan has insisted that it pay the rent for the hotel space and hospitality for the Karabakh-Azerbaijani negotiations in Sofia. Formerly, Karabakh rejected Azerbaijan's offer to go to Baku and negotiate. Now, Azerbaijan wants to feel like a host in that negotiation.

Baku objected to American mediators in the meeting room with Stepanakert representatives in Sofia. Baku suggested that they wait in the next room.

Why does Azerbaijan object to negotiations with Nagorno Karabakh being held in the presence of international observers? During the talks, Azerbaijan intends to present a plan for the integration of Nagorno Karabakh Armenians into Azerbaijan, not to discuss or accept any of Stepanakert's proposals, and to threaten that if Stepanakert doesn't get its demands, Baku will start a war.

In other words, Azerbaijan imagines the meeting as an ultimatum presentation ceremony, not a negotiation. And he doesn't want the USA to see it.

On March 1, 2023, Azerbaijan met with representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians in Ivanyan/Khojaly. The command of the Russian peacekeepers was present. Stepanakert offered to discuss technical issues at that meeting. However, the Azerbaijani deputy sent from Baku presented a plan for integrating Karabakh Armenians, intentionally disrupting the meeting.

The meeting failed. Five to six days after that meeting, Azerbaijan killed three Armenian police officers in Nagorno Karabakh. President Arayik Harutyunyan revealed after that meeting that Azerbaijan threatened the representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh that if the Azerbaijani integration plan isn't accepted, there would be harsh military actions.

Arresting a 68-year-old citizen of Karabakh in the Lachin Corridor and transferring him to Baku is Azerbaijan's attempt to derail the upcoming negotiations with Stepanakert. It is the use of force and threat by Azerbaijan against the Armenians of Karabakh. It may seem that the meeting with the Armenians of Karabakh is beneficial for Azerbaijan because it's a chance to present a request.

However, when Nagorno Karabakh participates in the negotiations with Azerbaijan, it deprives Baku of the opportunity to create false grounds for using military force. Azerbaijan prefers that Karabakh doesn't participate in the meetings, which it will interpret as destructiveness, and start a military operation against Karabakh.

Baku likely fails this upcoming match as well. For example, in addition to arresting Vagif Khachatryan, Azerbaijan can organise new military provocations and prevent the Armenian side from attending the meeting. But if the meeting occurs, the official Stepanakert will present its program and agenda.

International mediators should be more deeply involved in the negotiations. The US should move from the role of a mere meeting organiser to the position of forcing solutions. The goal of Azerbaijan is to deport the Karabakh Armenians by starving them to death, creating inhuman conditions for living.

As long as there is no intense pressure on Azerbaijan to give up this maximalism, peace will not be established. On the contrary, the high risk of a new bloody conflict will remain.

By the way, today, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced that he spoke with the President of Azerbaijan, Aliyev, yesterday.

In the conversation, he wrote: "I spoke to Azerbaijani President Aliyev yesterday to express our deep concern for the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Nagorno-Karabakh. The United States urges all sides to continue dialogue to reach a durable peace agreement."

Robert Ananyan is a journalist for Factor TV.

https://greekcitytimes.com/2023/07/31/azerbaijan-us-nagorno-karabakh/

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Azeri border guards threatened to use force against ICRC staff, reveals daughter of kidnapped man

12:03, 31 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 31, ARMENPRESS. The family of the elderly man who was kidnapped by Azerbaijani border guards on Saturday while being evacuated by the International Committee of the Red Cross said they’ve been unable to contact him.

A 68-year-old medical evacuee from Nagorno-Karabakh, Vagif Khachatryan, was kidnapped by Azerbaijani border guards while being transported to Armenia for treatment by the ICRC. The Armenian foreign ministry said the Azerbaijani actions amount to a war crime.

Khachatryan’s daughter Vera, along with many other demonstrators, gathered outside the UN Office in Yerevan asking the organization to intervene and bring back her father.

Vera Khachatryan is from Kashatagh. She’s lost her home in the 2020 war and has been living in Jermuk ever since as a refugee.

“I am all alone here, on the other side of Hakari Bridge. My sisters, brothers, my mother and all other relatives are in Artsakh. Please, dear countrymen, don’t leave me alone. This pain isn’t only mine, Vagif Khachatryan is the personification of the entire Armenian nation," she said.

Khachatryan said that her father was being evacuated to Armenia for an urgent heart surgery.

“My sister was accompanying him. Everyone’s passports are checked at the Hakari Bridge checkpoint. When they took my father’s passport, they didn’t return it and told him to go inside to the doctor’s room for examination. Then they told him he had to go to another place for ten minutes. When my sister asked them not to take him, when one of the ICRC representatives tried to intervene so that my father isn’t taken away and instead is questioned on spot, they threatened to use force. And that’s how my dad was taken away to an unknown location. My father has been factually kidnapped,” Vera Khachatryan said.

The family of the kidnapped man have been unable to contact him ever since.

The ICRC called Vera’s sister on the first day to notify her that they’ve visited Vagif Khachatryan and that he was in a Baku hospital.

Vera Khachatryan said the Azeri authorities have been making fake accusations against her father. “Most recently they’ve been saying that my father was once the driver of Samvel Babayan. This is fake news. Everything that’s been said by the Azerbaijani leadership and prosecution is false,” she said.

She called on the UN to provide any help or get information.

“This organization has levers all across the world, doesn’t it? I am asking not only the UN, I am asking everyone to bring back my father. Let everyone use their levers. Let them return him like the way they handed him over to the Azerbaijanis. My father is no criminal, he has led a dignified life, no one has the right to call him a criminal,” Vera Khachatryan said.

[see video]

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1116469.html?fbclid=IwAR1gabJGVLwrJy6ItUyEjvM9SQCmTET584i9yHT1Rf8N8N0yJDSZy5sflkY

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Bundestag Chair of Foreign Affairs Committee accuses Azerbaijan of ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh

15:47, 31 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 31, ARMENPRESS. The Chair of the German Bundestag’s Foreign Affairs Committee Michael Roth has accused Azerbaijan of committing ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh.

“Azerbaijan blocks humanitarian aid to Nagorno-Karabakh. This is a violation of international law. Even if Nagorno-Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan, it doesn’t justify ethnic cleansings. The EU and US must state their positions clearly. Armenia must not become Russia’s prey,” the member of the Bundestag tweeted.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) - ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations and the Red Cross has been facilitating the medical evacuations of patients.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1116487.html?fbclid=IwAR2MpOj-FuH6BwUdK5WTBMz3AvruCp_6UthUVHopRqwJ9aAfjy_beLgQrfw

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Over 60 French legislators call on Macron to sanction Aliyev, provide support to Nagorno- Karabakh

17:50, 31 July 2023

YEREVAN, JULY 31, ARMENPRESS. Over 60 French senators and deputies have called on President Emmanuel Macron to impose sanctions against Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his regime for attempted ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The call to action, calling for French support to Nagorno-Karabakh, was authored by Gilbert-Luc Devinaz and Pierre Ouzoulias and co-signed by 59 other legislators.

“The Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh is on the verge of disappearing,” the legislators warned in a call published in Le Monde.

“Nagorno-Karabakh, which represents in South Caucasus what we claim we embody, deserves more than a careless look. It simply deserves to exercise its citizens’ right to self-determination. It justifies France’s role and activities in the region, confirms our country's lawfulness to act, and a forceful occupation cannot in any way question its existence. In a letter sent to his wife Melinee, Missak Manouchian had written, ‘At the time of my death I declare that I don’t have hatred for the German people or anyone else. Everyone will get what they deserve, be it in the form of either punishment or reward. The German people and all other peoples will live in lasting peace and brotherhood after the war’.

"We ask Emmanuel Macron to impose sanctions against Ilham Aliyev and his regime, without any hate for his people, so that the Armenians and Azerbaijanis will finally be able to coexist in peace and brotherhood in South Caucasus, where they live side by side,” reads a part of the letter of the French political factions.

It added that the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh is trying to not only survive in South Caucasus but also embody the democratic values which France considers to be its own values.

“Whereas we haven’t initiated any step or support in this relation in withstanding the attempts of ethnic cleansing by Azerbaijan,” the French legislators stated.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) - ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno-Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1116502.html?fbclid=IwAR1fiHojeUrXMwcHZGK9eMz2JOKyiMJX4dsIdyJ_wx2plZFo7IkP_ieWv4c

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Germany supports World Court ruling ordering Azerbaijan to open Lachin Corridor

10:11, 1 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, ARMENPRESS. The German government supports the EU’s efforts aimed at establishing lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the German foreign ministry told the Germany-based Haypress media outlet.

The German federal government maintains constant contact with both Armenia and Azerbaijan, the ministry added.

Haypress asked the German foreign ministry whether Germany was represented during the visit by the diplomatic corps to Kornidzor to inspect the blocked humanitarian convoy, and what actions has Germany taken in this direction.

“The federal government supports EU’s efforts aimed at establishing lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The federal government maintains permanent contact with representatives of both Armenia and Azerbaijan. The German embassy in Yerevan maintains continuous contact with the government and civil society of Armenia, as well as the EU mission in Armenia. Regarding the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, the embassy is regularly cooperating with the International Committee of the Red Cross, with Germany having the largest share in involving humanitarian assistance envisaged for Nagorno-Karabakh. Germany supports the decision of the International Court of Justice on the free movement of persons and goods along Lachin Corridor, through which the vital needs of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh should be guaranteed.”

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) - ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations.

On July 26, Armenia sent a humanitarian convoy carrying emergency food and medication for Nagorno-Karabakh, but Azerbaijan blocked the trucks at the entrance of Lachin Corridor.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1116532.html?fbclid=IwAR1aa1qgiCC7xrFhyuyWsUy-vsB7xL7CGrbIwOHKU8qvs1R32ocT1zeWnJs

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

‘Time is now for the US & its allies to exert pressure on Aliyev,’ Senate Foreign Relations Committee

11:10, 1 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 1, ARMENPRESS. The United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee has released a statement on Twitter calling on the United States and its allies to exert pressure on Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev amid the ongoing, life-threatening blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh.

“The ICRC has served as a lifeline to Nagorno Karabakh. Then Azerbaijan cut off its last remaining source of essential food & medicine. More than 7 months into Azerbaijan's blockade, the time is now for the US & its allies to exert pressure on Aliyev. Lives hang in the balance,” the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee said in a tweet.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) - ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. Moreover, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations.

On July 29, a 68-year-old medical evacuee from Nagorno-Karabakh, Vagif Khachatryan, was kidnapped by Azerbaijani border guards while being transported to Armenia for treatment by the ICRC. The Armenian foreign ministry said that the Azerbaijani actions amount to a war crime.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1116537.html?fbclid=IwAR0iKi7sWOl5HDtLCJx6y0JEwKtHSyynaJNz9jYh6RHvbhTsSUVrsw8qks0

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Azeri kidnapping of Nagorno-Karabakh patient constitutes extraordinary rendition, Baku's deception of ICRC not ruled out

15:22, 2 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 2, ARMENPRESS. The kidnapping of Nagorno-Karabakh resident Vagif Khachatryan by Azerbaijan constitutes extraordinary rendition in terms of international law and a due process is therefore ruled out, attorney Siranush Sahakyan has said.

Speaking to reporters on August 2, Sahakyan, who represents the interests of Armenian Prisoners of War at the ECHR, did not rule out the Azerbaijan actually deceived and used the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for kidnapping Vagif Khachatryan.

“International law provides for extraordinary rendition, extradition and transfers. If Azerbaijan deemed Vagif Khachatryan to be a criminal, it could have brought that criminal into territorial jurisdiction by way or international criminal law cooperation, through cooperation with the authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia, Russia, and why not Interpol,” Sahakyan said, adding that Azerbaijan’s official explanation for arresting Khachatryan is untrustworthy because the Armenian Ombudsman has already debunked allegations that the man was internationally wanted.

Sahakyan pointed out that Azerbaijan did not provide any information to the Red Cross and brought Khachatryan into Azerbaijani jurisdiction through deception, where he was arbitrarily arrested.

“There are two possible scenarios. Upon seeing Vagif Khachatryan in the alleged list of international fugitives Azerbaijan had to at least notify the ICRC, and inform them that there is a fugitive who could be placed under arrest after appearing in Azerbaijani jurisdiction. By doing so Azerbaijan would have protected the Red Cross’ international humanitarian mandate, and the Red Cross would have notified Vagif’s family about this,” Sahakyan said, adding that fair processes can’t be expected.

The second scenario is that Azerbaijan did not provide the info to the ICRC and used the organization through deception.

However, the ICRC could have prevented the incident on the ground if it were to react very strongly and escalate the issue up to the highest circles.

The ICRC was supposed to request other organizations to support them and help prevent the obstacles.

The ICRC could be afraid of Azerbaijan’s response, Sahakyan said.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1116630.html?fbclid=IwAR1GlUZ3IJ6uugv9NCZbhnNnQW6andSNIjCD49WlXCBE6uBH3zdbNoTJ7Tc

[Yervant1]

BARRON'S

Aug 2 2023

Armenia Resort Struggles To Heal 'Scars' After Azerbaijan Attack

________________________________
By Irakli METREVELIAugust 2, 2023

Jermuk was Armenia's busiest spa resort before arch foe Azerbaijan attacked nearly a year ago.

Now only the croaking of frogs and the occasional cry of a solitary swan fill the silence in the small town's deserted park.

The mountain spa town dotted with hot springs came under artillery fire from Azerbaijan in September 2022.

While authorities insist Jermuk is ready to host tourists again, locals say the wounds are still raw and the tourism industry has been struggling to recover in the aftermath of the assault.

"You can't see the scars of the war in the streets of Jermuk any more. They are on people's souls," said restaurant owner Ovsanna Stepanyan.

She said that the number of tourists visiting Jermuk -- which gave its name to Armenia's most famous mineral water brand -- had plummeted after the Azerbaijani attack.

"Hotels and restaurants are nearly empty, we are operating at a loss," the 42-year-old told AFP.

Stepanyan's eatery was once so busy people had to book a table days in advance. Now she receives just several customers each day and has been forced to lay off half of her staff.

Tour guide Vazgen Galstyan, 33, said hotels, cafes, schools, and kindergartens were open but stressed that the emotional trauma inflicted by the conflict had not healed.


"Many people here are still suffering from psychological trauma," he said. "We know that the risk of a new war persists."

Stepanyan said she had been struggling to forget last year's attack.

She hid with her toddler son and mother in a basement when Azerbaijani forces shelled the town, an experience similar to that of many residents.

"Those hours were full of fear, like in a horror movie," she said. "Then women and children fled Jermuk for Yerevan in trucks."

"The road was full of cars with fleeing people, forests and fields on the outskirts of Jermuk were ablaze. I am still trembling when I remember that terrible night."

Locked in a decades-long dispute over Azerbaijan's Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Yerevan and Baku have fought two wars for control of the mountainous enclave, in the 1990s and 2020.

Despite a Moscow-brokered ceasefire that ended the latest conflict, there have been near-daily border clashes between the Caucasus neighbours.

In the worst fighting since the end of the war, Azerbaijan captured a pocket of land inside Armenia last year in fierce clashes between the neighbours that claimed the lives of 210 people.

Both sides have accused each other of provoking the hostilities, which erupted on September 13, 2022, and ended with international mediation the next day.

Yerevan said at the time that Azerbaijan attacked the towns of Jermuk, Sotk, and Verin Shorza -- located near the two countries' border -- using artillery, mortars, and large-calibre firearms.

"The shelling of Jermuk began at midnight," said the town's vice-mayor, Vardan Sargsyan.

"Azerbaijanis were targeting roads and forests; they damaged residential buildings, vital infrastructure, the cemetery."
But he insisted that "the consequences of the attack were eliminated, and damaged infrastructure was rebuilt".

"Jermuk is ready to host tourists again," added the vice-mayor.

Tigran Sargsyan, 20, returned to Jermuk four months ago after completing his military service and is now running a shooting gallery in an amusement park. Targets feature Azerbaijani flags and portraits of Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev.

"The enemy is too close," he said, referring to Azerbaijani troops stationed about four kilometres from Jermuk.

"If the situation does not change, there will be a fresh conflict and I'll have to go to war."

A Russian tourist strolling nearby sounded a more optimistic note.

"I know what happened in Jermuk last year, but I am not scared," said Yuliya Shtykova, a 51-year-old Muscovite.

"Jermuk is a miracle, it has huge tourism potential."

https://www.barrons.com/news/armenia-resort-struggles-to-heal-scars-after-azerbaijan-attack-c3b73e92

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

UN Secretary-General calls for opening of Lachin Corridor, urgent action to deliver humanitarian aid

10:33, 3 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed deep concern on the ongoing blockade of Lachin Corridor, describing it as ‘continued challenges related to the freedom of movement along the Lachin Corridor’, and called for urgent steps to facilitate access for the delivery of humanitarian aid.

“The Secretary-General is deeply concerned by the reports of continued challenges related to the freedom of movement along the Lachin Corridor,” Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said in a statement. “He recalls his previous statement on the need for the Parties to implement the Orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), including the Orders issued on 22 February 2023 and reaffirmed on 6 July 2023, related to measures to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. He is particularly concerned about reports of the deteriorating humanitarian situation on the ground and calls for urgent steps to facilitate access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to people in need. He urges both parties to intensify efforts towards the long-term normalization of relations for the benefit of peace and security in the region,” the Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General added.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since late 2022. The Azerbaijani blockade constitutes a gross violation of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement, which established that the 5km-wide Lachin Corridor shall be under the control of Russian peacekeepers. Furthermore, on February 22, 2023 the United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) - ordered Azerbaijan to “take all steps at its disposal” to ensure unimpeded movement of persons, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin Corridor in both directions. Azerbaijan has been ignoring the order ever since. The ICJ reaffirmed its order on 6 July 2023.

Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor. The blockade has led to shortages of essential products such as food and medication. Azerbaijan has also cut off gas and power supply into Nagorno Karabakh, with officials warning that Baku seeks to commit ethnic cleansing against Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Hospitals have suspended normal operations.

On July 25, the Government of Armenia said that it will try to send over 360 tons of flour, cooking oil, sugar, and other foodstuffs and medication to Nagorno-Karabakh to mitigate the humanitarian crisis resulting from the blockade of Lachin Corridor. Armenia requested the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh to escort the aid but Azerbaijan has blocked the convoy at the entrance of the Lachin Corridor.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1116676.html?fbclid=IwAR0eeotgjZO3DCgmX2Ft_dSNQMBKPeAUOwJJvCrYpQMjYq8TIEVj86tjxAM

[Yervant1]

Armenpress.am

Kidnapped Nagorno-Karabakh man faces fabricated charges in Azerbaijan

15:40, 3 August 2023

YEREVAN, AUGUST 3, ARMENPRESS. Vagif Khachatryan, the 68-year-old Nagorno-Karabakh man who was kidnapped by Azerbaijani authorities during his ICRC-facilitated medical evacuation to Armenia through the blockaded Lachin Corridor, has been questioned as part of fabricated criminal proceedings in Azerbaijan.

Khachatryan was taken to a hospital after his arrest, the Azerbaijani APA news agency reported.

"He was examined by doctors regarding his health. After the medical examination, he was provided with a lawyer and a translator. Charges against Vagif Khachatryan were announced and preliminary interrogation was held. Currently, other investigative measures are being taken in connection with him," Ilgar Safarov, Senior Assistant to the prosecutor general on special assignments, told APA in an interview.

Khachatryan faces fabricated war crime charges in Azerbaijan.

On August 2, prominent Armenian attorney Siranush Sahakyan ruled out due process in Azerbaijan regarding Vagif Khachatryan. She said that the kidnapping of Vagif Khachatryan by Azerbaijan constitutes extraordinary rendition in terms of international law.

The Nagorno-Karabakh resident’s kidnapping has been condemned by the Armenian foreign ministry as a war crime.

Vagif Khachatryan’s daughter revealed earlier this week that the Azeri border guards threatened the ICRC staff with force at the illegal checkpoint in Lachin Corridor. She denied the charges against her father and asked for international support to achieve his release.

 

 

https://armenpress.am/eng/news/1116703.html?fbclid=IwAR3uLkD_GbNDKx9YEuuHYi2VZGnHfNcRo21v40k9C5ig7c98xHKPAGmE5dU

[Yervant1]

GZERO

Aug 3 2023

A humanitarian crisis deepens on the edge of Europe

by Alex Kliment

The mountainous enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, long disputed by Armenia and Azerbaijan, is now running out of food and medical supplies due to a tightening blockade by Azerbaijan.

“The situation is really awful,” writes a friend of GZERO who lives in Stepanakert, the region’s capital. “There is almost no food, no medicine, nor any other first need supplies.”

What’s the background? Nagorno-Karabakh was part of the Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan, but its population is majority-Armenian. As the USSR collapsed, the people of Nagorno-Karabakh voted for independence, touching off a war with Azerbaijan. After a ceasefire in 1994, the enclave became a de facto independent state propped up by neighboring Armenia, although it remained internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan. A fresh round of fighting in 2020 enabled Azerbaijan to reclaim parts of Nagorno-Karabakh and to encircle it. In late 2022, Azerbaijan imposed a partial blockade.

Now, even as EU-brokered peace talks continue, Azerbaijan has tightened its grip, stopping even humanitarian aid vehicles from accessing the region through Armenia. The International Committee of the Red Cross says it has been weeks since it could bring in critical medical supplies. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Wednesday called for access to be reopened.

Azerbaijan has offered to send in aid of its own. But for the people of Karabakh, that’s a non-starter. Accepting that help would, they fear, support Azerbaijan’s claims to the enclave. Some locals have even blockaded routes in from Azeri-controlled territory to prevent any MADE IN AZERBAIJAN aid from arriving at all.

Meanwhile, the situation continues to deteriorate. Our contact in Stepanakert writes, “thank God our family still manages to find something for children not to starve.”

For more context, listen here to Ian Bremmer's December 2022 interview with Ruben Vardanyan, the Russian-Armenian businessman who was then serving as a state minister for the self-proclaimed government of Nagorno-Karabakh.

https://www.gzeromedia.com/a-humanitarian-crisis-deepens-on-the-edge-of-europe