UNITED NATIONS: In response to an urgent plea from Armenia, the UN Security Council has convened an emergency meeting to address the dire situation unfolding in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, a predominantly Armenian-populated area within neighbouring Azerbaijan. The alarm was raised due to a devastating blockade that has plunged the region into a state of dire hunger and humanitarian catastrophe, affecting around 120,000 people.
Armenia’s UN Ambassador, Mher Margaryan, penned a letter to the ambassador of the United States, which currently holds the presidency of the Security Council, urging immediate intervention. The meeting, an emergency open session, has been scheduled for Wednesday afternoon according to an announcement from the US Mission to the UN.
Margaryan highlighted the dire circumstances in Nagorno-Karabakh, explaining that the region’s only lifeline, the Lachin Corridor, connecting it to Armenia, has been completely blockaded by Azerbaijan since July 15. This blockade has resulted in a severe scarcity of essential supplies such as food, medicine, and fuel, prompting an urgent appeal for international assistance.
Expressing his concerns, Margaryan emphasized that the deliberate creation of unbearable living conditions for the population constitutes a grave act of mass atrocity, forcing the indigenous people of Nagorno-Karabakh to abandon their homeland. He stressed that this situation amounts to an existential threat to the region’s inhabitants.
In his plea to the Security Council, Margaryan called on the international body, tasked with maintaining global peace and security, to intervene and prevent mass atrocities, including war crimes, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity, and genocide. The situation in Nagorno-Karabakh is becoming increasingly dire, demanding swift and effective international action.
Nagorno-Karabakh, which came under the control of ethnic Armenian forces backed by Armenia’s military after the separatist conflict in 1994, has been a longstanding point of tension between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan regained control of the surrounding territory following a six-week war in 2020, and a Russia-brokered armistice was established, ensuring the free movement of people and goods via the Lachin Corridor.
However, Margaryan asserted that Azerbaijan has violated the terms of the armistice and international humanitarian law, as well as defying orders from the International Court of Justice issued in February and July. The court mandated that Azerbaijan should facilitate unhindered movement along the Lachin Corridor in both directions, further deepening concerns about the deteriorating situation.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry in counter reply accused Armenia of violating its territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as engaging in the smuggling of arms into Nagorno-Karabakh. This tense exchange of accusations further underscores the gravity of the situation.
Recently, the former chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, issued a report in response to a request from Armenian officials, including the country’s president. The report suggested that Azerbaijan’s blockade might constitute preparations for genocide against ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh, as outlined in the UN Convention. Moreno Ocampo defined genocide as deliberately imposing conditions that could lead to the physical destruction of a group.
As the UN Security Council convenes to deliberate on the Nagorno-Karabakh crisis, the world watches with bated breath, hoping that swift and effective measures will be taken to alleviate the suffering of the affected population and prevent further escalation of this dire humanitarian situation.
