On 21 March, the Permanent Representative of Armenia to the United Nations Mher Margaryan met with the Special Advisor of the UN Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide Alice Wairimu Nderitu to discuss the humanitarian situation arising from the ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor by Azerbaijan, as well as the manifestations of the latter’s genocidal aspirations in Nagorno-Karabakh.
It was highlighted that the siege imposed by Azerbaijan for the past 100 days is a glaring evidence of the policy of ethnic cleansing against the Armenian people, which has been regularly brought to the attention of the UN Secretary-General and the Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide since the beginning of the blockade in December. In this context, reference was made to the risk indicators of mass atrocities outlined in the “Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes: A Tool for Prevention” methodology guide developed by the Office of the Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide.
With regard to the indication of a provisional measure to ensure unimpeded movement along the Lachin Corridor issued by the International Court of Justice on 22 February, Mher Margaryan noted that Azerbaijan’s refusal to implement the Court’s Order reveals nothing short of utter disregard towards the international obligations, highlighting the imperative of engaging the UN early warning capacities to deliver response in a situation, where all risk factors of atrocity crimes exist.
