The events of the past few days are very worrying, Nathalie Broadhurst, Deputy permanent Representative of France to the United Nations, said during the discussion on the situation in Lachin corridor at the UN Security Council.
She emphasized two points. “Firstly, the obstacles placed on traffic on the access corridor that connects Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh since December 12 are unacceptable,” Broadhurst said.
“The blocking of the Lachin corridor has the direct consequence of isolating the population of Nagorno-Karabakh. It has humanitarian consequences that are getting worse every day. France calls for the unconditional restoration of traffic along the corridor and of supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh, while respecting the rights of the populations residing there,” she noted.
“France calls for the implementation of the commitments made within the framework of the trilateral declaration of November 9, 2020. It also notes that, as the Republic of Azerbaijan has undertaken, the safety of the movement of people, vehicles and goods along the Lachin Corridor in both directions is guaranteed,” the diplomat said.
“France also calls for immediate, free and unimpeded access for humanitarian organizations and United Nations agencies, in particular the UNHCR, to the populations concerned, including through the Lachin corridor. It notes that the first ICRC convoys have been organized,” Nathalie Broadhurst stressed.
Secondly, she said, “France calls on Armenia and Azerbaijan to create a climate conducive to the conclusion of the negotiations in progress and to progress, exclusively through dialogue and excluding any recourse to force, towards the settlement of the all outstanding issues, including that of the rights and guarantees for the population of Nagorno-Karabakh.”
“Alongside the European Union, France will continue to contribute to efforts to promote dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We will support the search for progress on all the subjects under negotiation, in particular the draft peace treaty, the delimitation of the border, the humanitarian questions, and the opening of the lines of communication with the objective of a lasting peace. In the region,” the Deputy Permanent Representative said.
“The Prague meeting of October 6, 2022 between the President of France, the President of the European Council, the President of Azerbaijan and the Prime Minister of Armenia, made it possible to reach important advances. France is at the disposal of the parties to contribute to these objectives, in conjunction with all the partners and stakeholders,” she stressed.
