‘A matter of UN Security Council’, Pashinyan warns that Azeri disregard for ICJ ruling has led to humanitarian crisis

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. The humanitarian situation in Nagorno Karabakh is getting worse, Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan warned Thursday.

Speaking at the Cabinet meeting, Pashinyan said that Azerbaijan continues to keep the Lachin Corridor blockaded despite the International Court of Justice (ICJ) February 22 ruling ordering it to lift the blockade.

“The court stated that the ruling is binding for Azerbaijan. But the court’s decision is not implemented, neither people nor vehicles or goods are moving along the Lachin Corridor. Furthermore, even the passage of Red Cross vehicles has been banned. These are important facts which themselves counter Azerbaijan’s claims that the powers and countries speaking about the situation in Nagorno Karabakh and Lachin Corridor are allegedly interfering in Azerbaijan’s internal affairs. The non-fulfillment of the International Court of Justice ruling and ensuring the implementation of the ruling is a matter of the international agenda and we must approach this issue with this logic,” Pashinyan said.

The Armenian Prime Minister said it’s important to note that the non-fulfillment and disregard of the ICJ ruling has lead to a humanitarian crisis.

“The population of Nagorno Karabakh is deprived of natural gas, power and other external supplies, while local electricity production capacities are sufficient only for partial supplies. External supplies of food and other essential goods into Nagorno Karabakh are suspended, there is a significant shortage of medication. There’s even no chance to transport critically-ill patients in such conditions. Everything is being done to make the lives of Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh impossible. This is what the policy of ethnic cleansing looks like, which we’ve been warning about for many years,” Pashinyan said.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan offered the following solution to the issue. “First of all, the binding February 22 ruling of the International Court of Justice must be implemented and this is a matter of the international agenda, including a matter for the UN Security Council, because this body is authorized to ensure the implementation of the ICJ rulings. Secondly, the international mechanism for Baku-Stepanakert dialogue must eventually be launched to address the issue of the rights and security of Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh. In regard to the Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, our position remains the same: we must apply all efforts to sign the treaty of establishing peace and relations,” the Armenian PM said.

The United Nations’ highest court – the International Court of Justice (ICJ) - ordered Azerbaijan on February 22 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 so far ignored the order. Furthermore, Azerbaijan then illegally installed a checkpoint on Lachin Corridor in violation of the terms of the 2020 ceasefire declaration.