YEREVAN, JULY 26, ARMENPRESS. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, during his July 25 meeting with the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers, called for a swift unblocking of the Lachin Corridor, the Russian foreign ministry said in a readout.

According to the readout, the foreign ministers focused on looking into joint efforts to advance the Armenian-Azerbaijani normalization process and deescalate the situation around Nagorno-Karabakh in accordance with the trilateral statements signed by the leaders of the three countries.

“The Russian side underscored the need for a swift unblocking of the Lachin Corridor and restoration of the normal life of the population of Nagorno-Karabakh. The Foreign Ministers reaffirmed the importance of intensifying work in all directions of the trilateral agreements, including the unblocking of transport connections, delimitation of the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as launching contacts between public figures and experts, and dialogue between parliamentarians. Special attention was drawn on the issue of finalizing a peace treaty between Baku and Yerevan, with emphasis on overcoming outstanding disagreements,” the Russian foreign ministry said in the readout.

In a separate bilateral meeting between Lavrov and Armenia’s Ararat Mirzoyan, the discussion focused on the relevant issues on the Armenian-Russian agenda, including in the economy and humanitarian directions, according to the readout.

“An agreement was reached to continue effective partnership as part of common integration associations, in the EEU, the CSTO and CIS,” it added.

Lavrov also held a separate meeting with his Azeri counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov, during which the sides approved the restoration of cooperation as part of the 3+3 regional consultative platform within the framework of the North-South international transport corridor. They also discussed their bilateral agenda, as well as international and regional issues.

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