YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenia has called on the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to take concrete steps to address the issues raised in the PACE recommendation and react to the human rights crisis in Nagorno Karabakh caused by Azerbaijan.

The Permanent Representative of Armenia to the Council of Europe Ambassador Arman Khachatryan delivered a speech at the Committee of Ministers meeting, addressing the illegal Azerbaijani blockade of Lachin Corridor, the gross violations of the ceasefire in Nagorno Karabakh and ongoing provocations. He presented the latest attack by Azerbaijan which left four Nagorno Karabakh soldiers dead.

Azerbaijan is attempting to commit ethnic cleansing in Nagorno Karabakh through the blockade, the gas and power supply cutoff, hate speech and threats, the ambassador warned.

Khachatryan presented the Ensuring free and safe access through the Lachin Corridor resolution adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which warns that the current situation could lead to the population of Nagorno Karabakh leaving their homes, calls for a direct dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert and urges an immediate deployment of a fact-finding mission of the CoE.

A PACE recommendation on Lachin Corridor addressed to the Committee of Ministers is pointing out the humanitarian and human rights crisis facing the Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh resulting from Azerbaijan’s unilateral actions. The Armenian representative called on the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to take concrete steps to address the issues raised in the PACE recommendation and react to the premeditated human rights crisis in Nagorno Karabakh caused by Azerbaijan.

An exchange of views took place during the meeting with PACE President Tiny Kox and Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Dunja Mijatović. The Armenian ambassador stressed the importance of the involvement of PACE and the Human Rights Commissioner in addressing the human rights and humanitarian crisis in Nagorno Karabakh resulting from the blockade of Lachin Corridor.