German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Tuesday called for a reopening of Lachin Corridor to Nagorno-Karabakh region, after talks with her Armenian counterpart, Al Arabiya reports.
Baerbock, whose country leads a European Union mission in the region, told reporters that the escalating humanitarian situation made it essential that “the blockade end immediately.”
“The supermarket shelves are almost empty, medication is lacking... family members are stuck in Armenia and can’t get back to their loved ones, schoolchildren have to freeze in these icy temperatures because the energy supplies are cut off,” Baerbock said.
Baerbock said that the mission aimed to ensure “more stability and above all trust” in the volatile region. This includes establishing emergency hotlines between national and local authorities. “We have in recent years been forced to see that any little spark can lead to a fire in the area – reliable communication channels lessen this risk,” Baerbock said.
She said Germany as head of the mission would coordinate with local police and civilian experts. Baerbock noted the “enormous human suffering” caused by 30 years of conflict in the region. “We have no illusions - there can be no solution overnight,” she said.
Since December 12, a group of Azerbaijani “eco-activists” has been blocking the only road into Karabakh from Armenia to protest what they claim is illegal mining causing environmental damage.
As a result, 120,000 people in Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) has been running short of food, medicines and fuel.
