BRUSSELS, JULY 20, ARMENPRESS. Member of the European Parliament Fabio Massimo Castaldo (Italy - Movimento 5 Stelle) has expressed deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh).

In an interview with ARMENPRESS, MEP Castaldo said that Azerbaijani ‘prolonged, hateful’ blockade of Lachin Corridor puts countless lives at risk by impeding access to vital goods and exacerbating the suffering of the affected population.

He said that the blockade constitutes a crime against humanity and called on the EU to provide urgent humanitarian aid and propose itself as one of the final guarantors of any final agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan which must include international guarantees for the safety and security of the Armenian population in and around Nagorno-Karabakh.

“The deteriorating humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is deeply concerning. The prolonged, hateful blockade of the Lachin Corridor puts countless lives at risk, impeding access to vital goods and exacerbating the suffering of the affected population. As I recently witnessed the dire conditions faced by the Armenian community during an official visit organised by the European Parliament, I am firmly convinced that we cannot ignore these violations of international law that represent crimes against humanity. In the immediate term, the EU must provide urgent humanitarian aid to address the pressing needs on the ground. Then, in the medium run, our Union should actively support the trilateral negotiations, acting as an honest broker, to ensure the inclusion of crucial clauses in any final agreement. These clauses must include international guarantees for the safety and security of the Armenian population in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, and the EU should propose itself as one of the final guarantor of this agreement and its conditions,” MEP Castaldo told ARMENPRESS correspondent Lilit Gasparyan in Brussels.

Castaldo visited Armenia in November 2022 on a fact-finding mission.

Lachin Corridor, the only road connecting Nagorno Karabakh with Armenia and the rest of the world, has been blocked by Azerbaijan since December 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.