Was Armenia able to achieve what it wanted at the UN?

Baku/17.08.23/Turan: The United Nations Security Council meeting, convened at Armenia's initiative to address the situation in Karabakh, has concluded. The August 16 meeting featured representatives not only from Armenia and Azerbaijan but also from nations including the United States, Russia, and Turkey.

During the session, Armenia accused Azerbaijan of imposing a "blockade" or creating a "humanitarian crisis" for ethnic Armenians in Karabakh through the closure of the Lachin corridor. Azerbaijan's permanent representative to the UN, Yashar Aliyev, refuted these allegations during the Security Council meeting.

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan views the UN Security Council gathering on August 16 as a success. Pashinyan highlighted the international community's recognition of the blockade of the Lachin corridor as a notable accomplishment during a government meeting on August 17.

Ahmed Alili, a political scientist, shared his insights on the outcomes of the UN Security Council meeting related to the Karabakh situation. He addressed the initiative driven by Armenia and its implications in the "Difficult Question" program.

According to Alili, the event signifies an attempt by competing factions within Armenia, as well as the Armenian Diaspora, to cast doubt on Nikol Pashinyan's efficacy and assertiveness. This effort aims to foster a perception that more active engagement and international resource mobilization are necessary to exert pressure on Azerbaijan.

Alili remarked that the objective was to secure a UN Security Council resolution that could be utilized as a means of pressuring Azerbaijan. Within this context, various interest groups within Armenia vied to demonstrate their patriotism and ability to achieve what Pashinyan had not.

He underscored that the UN Security Council meeting highlighted that international law aligns with Azerbaijan, which is an undeniable advantage. Alili noted that the meeting's agenda specifically mentioned a letter from Armenia to the UN Security Council dated September 13, 2022.

The expert highlighted that while Armenia has dispatched multiple letters to the UN, this particular letter seemed distinct. It addressed an incident on the Azerbaijani-Armenian border, whereas other letters revolved around the concerns of Karabakh Armenians and the Lachin road.

Alili stressed that from an international law perspective, if a humanitarian crisis were to occur within Azerbaijani territory, any international organization, such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, could address the issue. However, Armenia's involvement is inappropriate due to the distinct nature of the events in Karabakh.

The decision to consider Armenia's most recent letter by the UN Security Council necessitated recourse to the letters dated September 13, 2022, in order to establish some form of legal basis for discussion, according to Alili's analysis.