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U.S., EU Urge Azerbaijan To Unblock Karabakh Road


U.S. -- U.S. State Department Spokesman Ned Price speaks during a press briefing at the State Department in Washington, February 8, 2021
U.S. -- U.S. State Department Spokesman Ned Price speaks during a press briefing at the State Department in Washington, February 8, 2021

The United States and the European Union urged Azerbaijan late on Tuesday to unblock the sole road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia.

“Closure of the Lachin Corridor has severe humanitarian implications and sets back the peace process,” tweeted Ned Price, the U.S. State Department spokesman.

“We call on the government of Azerbaijan to restore free movement through the corridor. The way forward is through negotiations,” added Price.

“The European Union has been following with serious concern the various developments around the Lachin corridor since the beginning of December,” Peter Stano, the EU foreign policy spokesman, said in a statement.

“The EU calls on the Azerbaijani authorities to ensure freedom and security of movement along the corridor, in line with the trilateral statement of 9 November 2020,” he said, referring to the Russian-brokered ceasefire that stopped the last war in Karabakh. “Restrictions to such freedom of movement cause significant distress to the local population and create humanitarian concerns.”

“Other concerns can and should be addressed through dialogue and consultations with the parties involved,” added Stano. “The EU reiterates its call for restraint and stands ready to contribute to the above-mentioned efforts.”

On his Twitter page, Stano said that the EU is also “concerned by reports of Azerbaijan cutting off gas supply to Karabakh.”

A section of the vital road has been blocked by a large group of Azerbaijanis since Monday morning. They are demanding that Karabakh’s leadership allow the Azerbaijani government to inspect mining operations in the Armenian-populated territory.

Earlier on Tuesday, Armenia’s Foreign Ministry condemned the transport blockade as a gross violation of the truce accord. A ministry statement said that the Azerbaijani government organized the blockade as part of its efforts to “cleanse” Karabakh of its ethnic Armenian population.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry rejected the accusations. It claimed that the road was closed by Russian peacekeeping forces, rather than the Azerbaijani “demonstrators.”

Baku also accused the peacekeepers of not honoring an agreement to allow Azerbaijani inspections of Karabakh gold and copper mines.

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