YEREVAN: Armenia has called upon the UN Security Council to convene a crisis meeting focusing on the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh. The move comes in the wake of accusations against Azerbaijan for obstructing essential supplies to the disputed region, escalating concerns about the well-being of its population.
The longstanding conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan but inhabited primarily by Armenians, has been a source of tension between the two neighboring countries for decades. The dispute has erupted into armed conflicts, including a significant confrontation in 2020 that resulted in territorial gains for Azerbaijan.
Mher Margaryan, Armenia’s permanent representative to the UN, expressed his nation’s urgency in a letter addressed to the UN Security Council. He stressed the imperative role of the Security Council in ensuring global security and implored for its intervention to address the escalating crisis.
Armenia’s concerns center around the alleged blockade of the Lachin corridor by Azerbaijan, a vital route connecting Armenia to Armenian-populated settlements within Nagorno-Karabakh. The Armenian government has accused Azerbaijan of imposing restrictions on the flow of traffic through this mountainous passage, resulting in severe shortages of critical supplies.
Gravity of Situation in Nagorno-Karabakh
Margaryan’s letter underscored the gravity of the situation, noting significant scarcities in food, medicine, fuel, electricity, and gas supplies in the majority of Armenian-populated areas of Nagorno-Karabakh. These shortages have led to dire consequences, with patients suffering from conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases facing increased mortality rates due to inadequate medical support.
The Armenian representative warned of an impending humanitarian catastrophe, painting a dire picture of the population’s well-being on the brink of collapse. Margaryan further accused Azerbaijan of deliberately engineering unbearable living conditions for the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh, an act that he characterized as an “atrocity” designed to force displacement.
International aid groups and Armenia have consistently sounded the alarm about the worsening humanitarian conditions in Nagorno-Karabakh, calling for immediate attention and action to alleviate the crisis.
Despite numerous attempts at mediation by global powers such as the European Union, the United States, and Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan have struggled to achieve a lasting resolution to the conflict, prolonging the suffering of the affected population.
