YEREVAN, Apr 24 The International Court of Justice in connection with the installation of a checkpoint by Azerbaijan in the Lachin corridor linking Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh, said the representative of Armenia on international legal issues Yeghishe Kirakosyan.
Earlier, the State Border Service of Azerbaijan stated that its units had set up a border checkpoint on the border with Armenia at the beginning of the road in the Lachin corridor that leads to Stepanakert. Baku explained the appearance of the checkpoint by the unlawful use of the road to Stepanakert by the Armenian side and security threats. The border guards of Azerbaijan indicated that the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent and the Russian-Turkish monitoring center were informed about this fact. The Armenian Foreign Ministry called the establishment of the checkpoint a gross violation of the tripartite statement of the leaders of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan in 2020. In response, Baku called the establishment of a checkpoint a legitimate step.
«This last action, which concerns the installation of a checkpoint, is too blatant a violation. If before that the Azerbaijani side declared that it had no influence on the so-called «eco-activists», which, of course, was not taken seriously anywhere, now the decision of the court (of the court) is being violated by much more specific actions UN about unblocking the Lachin corridor — ed.),» Kirakosyan said in an interview with Sputnik Armenia.
According to him, steps will be taken in this direction, the work is already underway. «In the near future, a step will be taken within the framework of the court,» the agency quoted Kirakosyan as saying.
According to him, the question is about the decision of the UN court on unblocking the Lachin corridor, which has not been implemented for two months now.
On Monday, the Russian Foreign Ministry, commenting on the installation of a checkpoint by Azerbaijan in the Lachin corridor, said that any unilateral steps are unacceptable, and also noted the increase in the number of ceasefire violations and called on Yerevan and Baku to implement the agreements.
Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that due to the blocking of the road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, a humanitarian crisis began in the region. According to him, the blocking of the Lachin corridor is a violation of the sixth point of the tripartite statement of the leaders of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan dated November 9, 2020. He stressed the need for Azerbaijan to immediately comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice to unblock the corridor.
The road through the Lachin corridor is the only way connecting Karabakh with Armenia. According to the agreements of November 2020, which put an end to hostilities in Karabakh, the road is controlled by the Russian peacekeeping contingent stationed in the region for five years.