The United States and France are calling on Azerbaijan to open the Lachin Corridor

The United States and France expressed their concern on Wednesday over the temporary closure of the Lachin Corridor, the only passage connecting Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh, and urged Azerbaijan to allow freedom of movement again.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a phone call to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday, according to the State Department.

The Secretary emphasized the "need to ensure freedom of movement for commercial, humanitarian, and private vehicles through this corridor."

Paris had earlier voiced a similar position. French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anne Claire Logetndre stated, "We are deeply concerned about Azerbaijan's announcement" regarding the closure of the corridor, noting that "freedom of movement through the corridor must be restored, based on the decision of the International Court of Justice ruling on this matter on February 22, 2023."

They called on Azerbaijan to "comply with this measure."

Azerbaijan announced the suspension of movement through the corridor on Tuesday, accusing the Armenian Red Cross of engaging in smuggling operations.

However, the International Committee of the Red Cross denied these accusations, confirming that no unauthorized goods were found in their vehicles.

Armenia has warned the international community of the possibility of a serious humanitarian crisis in the separatist region since December, due to food and medicine shortages resulting from traffic restrictions in the Lachin Corridor.

The suspension of movement in the Lachin Corridor threatens to complicate negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, scheduled to take place in July, mediated by the European Union.

The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on Tuesday for "doubling the international measures and efforts" to end the blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh and reopen the corridor, reiterating its concerns about "ethnic cleansing" in the region.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also held a phone call with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, reaffirming his country's support for peace negotiations between Baku and Yerevan and the importance of both parties engaging in "direct dialogue."

The two former Soviet republics have been in conflict over control of Nagorno-Karabakh since the late 1980s, resulting in two wars, with the second one in 2020 witnessing the defeat of Armenian forces and territorial gains by Azerbaijan.

 

AFP