Armenia, Azerbaijan sabre battling over humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh
- 15 August, 16:34
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been engaged in a political row over the deepening humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh region.
On August 11, Armenia appealed to the United Nations Security Council with a request to convene an emergency meeting regarding to what it described as the deterioration of the humanitarian situation as a result of “a total blockade inflicted upon the civilian population of Nagorno-Karabakh”.
In a letter addressed to the UN Security Council, the Armenian Foreign Ministry complained about shortage of essential goods, including food, medicine, and fuel, claiming that the humanitarian situation worsened since June 15, when Azerbaijan blocked the Lachin corridor – the only road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to an outer word. The ministry said Azerbaijan has obstructed natural gas and electricity supply to the region, causing a humanitarian crisis.
Azerbaijan dismissed Armenia’s complains about humanitarian crisis in Lachin corridor, saying Yerevan was using the UN Security Council as a political tool for a “manipulation campaign”. In a statement published on August 14, the ministry said Armenia’s appeal to the UN Security Council comes at a time when Armenia “is deliberately obstructing efforts aimed at finding a balanced, international law-based and acceptable solution through international partners.”
The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry accused Armenia of not withdrawing its troops from Azerbaijan’s territory, as well as illegal exploitation of Azerbaijan's natural resources, creating obstacles against the normal operation of the border checkpoint and the use of other routes, such as the Aghdam-Khankendi road for the delivery of goods to Karabakh. The ministry stressed that through consultations and 'shuttle diplomacy' efforts recently, an agreement was reached on the delivery of humanitarian goods to Karabakh by various routes, adding that Baku and Yerevan have agreed to hold a meeting of special representative of Azerbaijan and representatives of local Armenian residents to hold a meeting in Azerbaijan’s Yevlakh city.
