Azerbaijani authorities attempt to achieve closure of ICRC Stepanakert office, warns Nagorno-Karabakh

STEPANAKERT, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS. Authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh have an unambiguous decision to keep the Aghdam-Stepanakert road closed, Speaker of Parliament of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) Davit Ishkhanyan said at a press conference.

He added that the Russian peacekeepers and Nagorno-Karabakh police have posts on that road.

He described the Azerbaijani government’s move on sending trucks to the road as a “provocation” aimed at misleading the world that the humanitarian crisis in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) is its domestic issue.

“We have one road, which is called the Lachin Corridor, where unimpeded transit of humanitarian goods and generally any transit from Artsakh to Armenia and Armenia to Artsakh must be restored and ensured, this is stipulated in the 9 November 2020 document. The Azerbaijani narrative on launching the Akna [Aghdam]-Stepanakert road is no news, it’s at least three weeks old, when it attempted to realize it along with presenting the offer through Western and Russian colleagues. The Azerbaijani side’s step of yesterday is unacceptable for us,” the Speaker added.

Azerbaijan is attempting to shut down the Stepanakert office of the Red Cross through the Red Crescent, he warned.

“The presence of that international organization [ICRC] is an advantage and opportunity for us. The International Committee of the Red Cross office has been functioning in Stepanakert for nearly 30 years as a separate entity, directly subordinate to Geneva. It’s no secret that ever since the 2020 war Azerbaijan has directed every effort to push the ICRC office out of Stepanakert, out of Nagorno-Karabakh,” he said.

Van Novikov