At the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Cypriot delegate Constantinos Efstathiou assessed the closing of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan and the creation of a humanitarian crisis for the people of Artsakh a genocidal act, calling for an immediate end to the blockade of the corridor.
Creation of humanitarian crisis by Azerbaijan for Artsakh’s people is a genocidal act. Representative of Cyprus
STEPANAKERT, JANUARY 27, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS: In his speech at the PACE, the representative of Cyprus spoke about the serious humanitarian crisis caused by the blocking of the Lachin Corridor.
"Access and supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh must be unconditionally restored, and Azerbaijan must respect the tripartite agreement and guarantee the safety of people and the transportation of goods through the Lachin Corridor. The blockade has left thousands of people, including children, unable to return to their homes. This alarming situation threatens the fragile peace process and may lead to the resumption of violence," he said.
The representative of Cyprus noted that this will have a disastrous effect not only on Armenians and Azerbaijanis, but also on the South Caucasus region.
"As a member of the Council of Europe, we call on the authorities of Azerbaijan to open the Lachin Corridor, to refrain from tension-causing actions," he said.
He emphasized that starving people, leaving them without electricity and medicine is a genocidal act. One of the elements of genocide is the creation of harsh living conditions aimed at the physical annihilation of a group of people.
"It is a crucial moment of genocide, let's not sacrifice people due to political conditions or national interests. Every person in this world deserves to live in dignity and with full respect for their rights. The message should be clear: stop the blockade of Lachin Corridor," the Cypriot delegate concluded.
