Pashinyan accused Russian peacekeepers of not performing their duties in Lachin corridor

Baku/22.12.22/Turan: At a meeting of the Armenian government on Thursday, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan accused Russian peacekeepers of not performing their duties in the Lachin corridor.

"The humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh remains extremely tense as a result of Azerbaijan's illegal blockade of the Lachin corridor, hundreds of families have been separated, there is a shortage of essential goods and food in Nagorno-Karabakh," the Armenpress news agency quotes Pashinyan.

He accused Azerbaijan of violating international obligations and the trilateral declaration of November 9, 2020, concerning the unhindered movement of transport and people.

"The commitment recorded in the November 9 statement - that is, to keep the Lachin corridor under control - is also not being fulfilled by the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation," Pashinyan said.

"This is happening as a result of illegal actions of Azerbaijan; however, it does not change the situation, because the main goal of the peacekeeping troops of the Russian Federation is to prevent such lawlessness and, in particular, to keep the Lachin corridor under control," Pashinyan continued.

For this reason, he considers it necessary to send a UN or OSCE fact-finding mission to the Lachin corridor. Pashinyan called on the international community to increase pressures on Azerbaijan.

"It is necessary to work actively and send a fact-finding mission of the UN or OSCE or the OSCE Minsk Group to the Lachin corridor," Pashinyan said.

Also, he pointed out that Armenia has sent its proposals for a peace treaty to Azerbaijan and is ready to sign an appropriate agreement. "We are ready to sign a contract with such content. I hope that Azerbaijan's response will also be positive," Pashinyan said.

According to the Prime Minister, the Armenian side sent its proposals to Azerbaijan a few months ago regarding the further work of the commission on border demarcation and border security issues, but Armenia has not yet received a response.

"Armenia has sent proposals to Azerbaijan on border security, but so far we have not received a response. I must say that these proposals include a solution to the problem of the occupied territories of Armenia. Our position remains the same - Azerbaijan must stop the occupation of sovereign territories and Armenia, and its troops must be withdrawn," Pashinyan said. -02D-