Washington Insists on Reopening of Karabakh-Armenia Road 

As reported by the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) Armenian Service, Washington regards blockage of the Lachin corridor, which links Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia, as hindering the peace process and undermining international trust. 

“The United States remains concerned the Lachin Corridor has now been blocked for over three weeks, creating a grave humanitarian situation,” Michael Carpenter, the US ambassador to the OSCE headquarters in Vienna, tweeted over the weekend.

Carpenter thanked the International Committee of the Red Cross for providing critical aid during this time, calling upon Azerbaijan and Russia to restore access immediately. 

Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Yerevan reiterated the US State Department’s earlier statements that the Azerbaijani blockade “sets back the peace process and undermines international confidence.” Commenting on the possibility of US humanitarian aid to Karabakh, the embassy said the US Agency for International Development (USAID) is trying to address “the needs of displaced persons in Armenia.” 

On January 6, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan had a phone conversation with the head of USAID, Samantha Power. According to the Armenian Foreign Ministry, Mirzoyan said the international community should take “clear steps” to reopen the Lachin corridor and prevent a “humanitarian catastrophe” in Karabakh.

UK Minister of State: Lachin Corridor Closure Risks Severe Humanitarian Consequences

The UK government has made clear that the closure of the Lachin corridor, the sole road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia, risks severe humanitarian consequences, said Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the UK Minister of State for the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and United Nations.

His comments came in response to a question by a member of the House of Lords, Caroline Cox, about the representations made by the UK to the government of Azerbaijan regarding the road closure.

“The UK Government has made clear that the closure of the Lachin corridor risks severe humanitarian consequences. Our Embassies in Baku and Yerevan continue to urge the Governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan to abide by all commitments in relation to the Lachin corridor in good faith, and to settle the remaining conflict issues as soon as possible. The UK has spoken at the Organization for Security Co-operation in Europe and at the United Nations Security Council, as well as in Baku, to urge the immediate reopening of the corridor given the risk of severe humanitarian consequences," Lord Ahmad said.

Read also: State Department: US Committed to Facilitate Armenia-Azerbaijan Talks on Karabakh