At the extraordinary session on December 14, the Armenian Parliament adopted a statement calling on the international community to condemn Azerbaijan’s blocking of the Lachin Corridor and the cutting off the natural gas supply.

The statement drafted by the ruling Civil Contract party highlighted: “By closing the Lachin Corridor, Azerbaijan directly violates the provisions of the Trilateral Statement of November 9, 2020, according to which the Lachin Corridor is under control of the Russian peacekeeping troops [in Nagorno Karabakh], and Azerbaijan shall guarantee safe movement of citizens, vehicles, and cargo in both directions along the corridor.”

The statement also called on Russia to take necessary actions to ensure the full implementation of the provisions stipulated by the Trilateral Statement in the zone under the control of the Russian peacekeepers.

“We call on the UN Security Council, OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, and member states to send a fact-finding mission to Nagorno Karabakh for monitoring the humanitarian situation,” the statement said.

During the debate on the statement, some pro-government deputies criticized Russian peacekeeping forces stationed in Karabakh for failing to stop a large group of Azerbaijanis from blocking the corridor on Monday.

The opposition rejected participating in the statement discussion, considering it "against the interests of Armenia." The secretary of the opposition faction (“I Have the Honor”), Tigran Abrahamyan, highlighted that the ruling faction's statement is inadequate to the current military-political situation around Armenia and Artsakh. “The statement, in no way, prevents the impending danger but gives a green light for Azerbaijan,” he said.

The pro-government majority in the parliament refused even to debate the resolution put forward by the opposition, allegedly objecting to its reference to the Karabakh Armenians’ right to self-determination.

“We believe that direct dialogue between Baku and Stepanakert would be the best mechanism for solving the Karabakh problem,” Hayk Konjoryan, a representative of the ruling party, told the reporters.

Meanwhile, Armenia has appealed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to apply interim measures against Azerbaijan and oblige it to unblock the Lachin corridor. “Today Armenia, in accordance with the Statute of the International Court of Justice, has informed the Court about the blockade of the Berdzor (Lachin) Corridor by Azerbaijan and the violation of the rights of the Artsakh population,” the statement of Armenia's representative for international legal affairs read.

Ararat Mirzoyan Delivers Remarks at UN Security Council Meeting

In his remarks at UN Security Council "New Orientation for Reformed Multilateralism" Ministerial Meeting, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan referred to the inability of the international humanitarian bodies, including the United Nations, to provide much-needed aid to the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, essentially leaving them behind, in stark contrast to the global pledge of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

“Azerbaijan’s refusal to hold dialogue with Stepanakert testifies to the fact that Baku continues pursuing a genocidal policy towards the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh. In the cases of the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalization process and the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan refuses to realize its commitments that were reached in multilateral formats. The actions, warmongering rhetoric, and maximalist approach of the leadership of Azerbaijan put the chance of reaching peace and stability in the South Caucasus under serious risk," the Minister noted.

Mirzoyan referred to the unresolved issue of the return and repatriation of Armenian prisoners of war (PoWs). He stressed: “The Azerbaijani side continues its manipulations to counterbalance the humanitarian issues artificially and to turn the return of the Armenian PoWs into a bargaining chip, which is totally unacceptable and should not be tolerated by the international community.”