UN secretary-general calls for unhindered travel to be ensured in Lachin corridor

YEREVAN. Jan 10 (Interfax) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has reiterated his calls to ensure unhindered travel along the Lachin corridor, which connects Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia and has been blocked by Azerbaijan since December 12.

Guterres outlined his concerns over the current situation in his statement on December 14, 2022, and these concerns were also voiced by the UN Secretariat during a UN Security Council emergency meeting convened on December 20 at Armenia's request, spokesperson for the secretary-general Stephane Dujarric told the Armenpress Armenian state news agency.

Guterres reiterated his calls to de-escalate tensions and ensure the freedom and security of travel via the Lachin corridor in line with the previously reached agreements, also expressing his support for the ongoing mediation efforts, Dujarric said.

The UN Country Teams in Armenia and Azerbaijan continue to maintain open communication with the authorities and international partners on the ground and stand ready to respond if such a request is received and if conditions allow, he said.

On January 5, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a government meeting that Armenia expects "tangible steps from the international community and Russia, whose peacekeeping contingent is stationed in Nagorno-Karabakh and which is directly responsible for control over the Lachin corridor in line with the trilateral statement [by the leaders of Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan] of November 9, 2020."

"The illegal blockage of the Lachin corridor has continued for 25 days, which has spurred a humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh," he said.