Artsakh Foreign Minister Sergey Ghazaryan gave an interview
to the French daily newspaper Ouest-France. He referred to the problems facing
post-war Artsakh and the consequences of the blockade of the Lachin corridor.
He also raised the quesion of preventing the genocide.
Sergey Ghazaryan noted that Azerbaijan keeps using
threatening rhetoric and pursues its genocidal policy with regard to Armenians.
“First, on Jan. 9, 2022, Azerbaijan disrupted the power
supply that Artsakh received from Armenia. Afterward, in mid-March, they
disrupted gas supply as well. Since June 15, the only road connecting Artsakh
to Armenia has been totally blocked. Movement of people, food, medical supplies
and other essential goods has been prevented. Families are separated from each
other, hospitals cannot operate properly. People are not able to cultivate
their lands on account of the lack of fuel supplies,” he noted.
The Artsakh Foreign Minister reiterated that the current
situation in Artsakh is nothing but a humanitarian disaster and added that they
have run out of supplies.
“Our flour and bread supplies are enough to feed people for
only a few days. Every second death in Artsakh is caused by hunger and
malnourishment. Imagine what will happen if this blockade is not lifted.
Azerbaijan is using famine as a means to annihilate Armenians,” he said.
According to Ghazaryan, urgent measures should be taken to
end the blockade; political leaders and the U.N. should exercise political
will.
“The international community has an obligation and ability
to prevent genocides. The U.N. Security Council can adopt a resolution, calling
on Azerbaijan to remove the blockade. International organizations should impose
sanctions on those responsible for the blockade and should by all possible
means — including air — send humanitarian aid to Artsakh. We call on the
civilized world to protect human rights and peoples’ rights. Let us not lose time,
as, in fact, this is all about the prevention of genocide,” the Artsakh Foreign
Minister concluded.
