Pope Francis has expressed concern over the humanitarian situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, Vatican News reported, recalling that the matter concerns the closure of the Lachin corridor, the only road linking Artsakh to Armenia.
On Sunday, Pope Francis called on all parties to find “peaceful solutions for the good of the people.” The Pope said he was “concerned about the situation created in the Lachin corridor in the South Caucasus.”
“The situation created in the Lachin corridor in the South Caucasus causes me concern. In particular, I am concerned about the unstable humanitarian conditions of the population, which are at risk of worsening further during the winter season,” the Pontiff said.
The source noted that His Holiness’s concern was directed at the 120,000 Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh, including 30,000 children. They are currently in isolation and cut off from the world, in view of the blockade of the only road connecting Artsakh to the world, carried out by Azerbaijanis under “environmental” considerations.
The European Union called on Azerbaijan to ensure freedom and security of movement through the Lachin corridor, in accordance with the trilateral document signed on 9 November 2022 by Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.
EU officials warned that the blockade of the corridor is causing significant difficulties for the local population and could lead to a serious humanitarian emergency.
