RA MFA: The population of Artsakh faces starvation

It has already been seven months since the Azerbaijani
authorities have illegally blocked the Lachin corridor, the lifeline linking
Nagorno-Karabakh with the outer world.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
made a statement referring to the problems following the total blockade of
Artsakh. 

“Since June 15, the supply of food to Nagorno-Karabakh has
been completely halted. Prior to this, during the unimpeded operation of the
Lachin corridor, Nagorno-Karabakh was receiving approximately 400 tons of
cargo, whereas, after December 12, the amount of food transported through the
Russian peacekeeping contingent decreased by tenfold. Currently, the population
of Nagorno-Karabakh faces a real threat of starvation, as the supply of all
types of goods has been completely prohibited. The information circulated in
Azerbaijani media yesterday about an attempted transportation of tobacco and
mobile phone batteries, on the one hand, demonstrates a desperate situation of
the population of Nagorno-Karabakh that undermines their dignity and, on the
other hand, once again highlights the impossibility of unhindered movement of
cargo,” reads the RA MFA statement.

As mentioned in the statement, the same situation has
developed in the healthcare sector. There is a clear shortage of medicine
required for proper medical care. Consequently, several vulnerable groups,
including pregnant women, cancer and diabetes patients and children, face
serious health problems. There has already been an increase in mortality rates
in Nagorno-Karabakh.