Azerbaijan Closed Lachin Corridor to Carry Out Ethnic Cleansing in Artsakh, Secretary of Armenia’s Security Council Says

YEREVAN — Azerbaijan closed the Lachin Corridor to carry out ethnic cleansing in Artsakh, Secretary of the Security Council Armen Grigoryan said at the National Assembly during the discussions on the draft law “On foreign intelligence activities and Foreign Intelligence Service.” Armrdaio.am reports.

“Armenia continues to work with all its partners to get the Lachin corridor opened, as soon as possible, and to ensure that Armenians living in Artsakh avoid a humanitarian crisis,” Grigoryan said.

Asked what actions the Foreign Intelligence Service should take to ensure or contribute to the realization of the declared goals, for example, opening the Lachin Corridor, ensuring the security of Artsakh, etc?, the Secretary said: “One of the main goals of creating a foreign intelligence service is that this service can find information about the security created around Armenia, even find information that is not publicly known. And based on this, it will analyze the security environment and provide information to the Prime Minister, which will serve a basis for decisions. This information will also apply to the security environment of Armenia, where Artsakh also plays an important role,” said Armen Grigoryan.

He added that adding that Russia is responsible for the Lachin Corridor, it assumed the responsibility under the trilateral statement of November 9.

Grigoryan rejected opposition claims that Armenian authorities are not doing enough to unblock the sole road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia, saying that it is controlled by Russian peacekeepers.

“Responsibility for the Lachin corridor was handed over to the Russian Federation, and I also want to hear questions from the opposition regarding this as well,” Grigoryan said during the session of the parliament.