Borrell: It is incumbent on the Azerbaijani authorities to guarantee freedom of movement along the Lachin corridor and Aghdam should not be seen as an alternative

The European Union is deeply concerned about the serious
humanitarian situation affecting the local population in the former
Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast. High Representative of the Union for
Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell made a statement on
this. 

“The movement through the Lachin corridor remains obstructed
for more than seven months, despite Orders by the International Court of
Justice to reopen it. Medical supplies and essential goods are in short supply
or have already run out, with dire consequences for the local population. It is
incumbent on the Azerbaijani authorities to guarantee safety and freedom of
movement along the Lachin corridor imminently and not to permit the crisis to
escalate further,” reads the statement.

He noted that the EU took note of the expressed readiness of
the Azerbaijani authorities to also supply goods via the city of Akna (Aghdam).

“This should not be seen as an alternative to the reopening
of the Lachin corridor. The EU also notes that ICRC activities in the region
have been heavily impacted and calls for their full resumption, including
medical evacuations and humanitarian supplies. The EU stresses that
humanitarian access must not be politicized by any actors,” Borrell
wrote.