The President of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) Arayik Harutyunyan made an appeal to the ministers of foreign affairs of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan ahead of their upcoming meeting in Moscow on July 25, 2023.
The appeal reads as follows:
“I am once again raising the alarm about the urgent need to immediately end the 225-day blockade of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) by Azerbaijan, including the 40-day full siege, which is leading to a deepening humanitarian disaster in Artsakh.
It is highly condemnable that instead of pursuing a political settlement to the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict and creating an environment of mutual trust between the parties, resorting to blockading and a complete siege of the Republic of Artsakh now, continuous disruption of vital infrastructures and the conduct of an undisguised genocidal policy are instrumental in implementing Azerbaijan’s political agenda regarding Artsakh.
I must emphasize that Azerbaijan’s actions in Artsakh amount to crimes against humanity, directly resulting from their gross violations of the trilateral declaration of November 9, 2020, and well-known international legal documents. After the war, the people of Artsakh had faith in the guarantees established by the tripartite declaration, particularly relying on the mission of the Russian peacekeeping troops, as they returned to their homes and started rebuilding their lives.
As the President of Artsakh Republic, empowered by the mandate given to me by my people, I demand that the parties involved in the trilateral declaration of November 9, 2020, take concrete steps to promptly restore the legal regime in the Lachin Corridor and ensure the security of the people of Artsakh, adhering to the obligations stipulated in the trilateral declaration. After providing the minimum conditions for the well-being of our people, it will be possible to address all aspects of the conflict and discuss potential solutions in a more favorable environment.
It is crucial that the parties involved in the trilateral declaration act immediately to resolve the catastrophic situation; otherwise, they will bear the main responsibility for any impending tragedies.
Prevent imminent ethnic cleansing!”
