On May 23, RA Deputy Foreign Minister Vahe Gevorgyan delivered a speech at the open debate of the UN Security Council on the agenda item “Protection of civilians in armed conflicts. The RA Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Vahe Gevorgyan delivered a speech on the “protection of civilians in armed conflicts” agenda item under the chairmanship of President of the Swiss Confederation Alain Beers.

The RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed this.

“In his speech, the Deputy Foreign Minister stressed the importance of implementing the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols fully and without preconditions, and underscored the key role of the UN Security Council … in guaranteeing the fulfillment of obligations under international humanitarian law.

Touching upon the blockade of Artsakh and its humanitarian consequences lasting more than 6 months, Vahe Gevorgyan noted :

Contrary to the legally binding decision of the International Court of Justice, the Azerbaijani authorities established a checkpoint on the road to Berdzor, thereby bearing responsibility for the illegal blockade and failure to implement the court decision.

The Deputy Minister also underlined that Azerbaijan constantly impedes the activities aimed at meeting the vital needs of the population affected by the conflict and has failed to guarantee the participation of the UN and its agencies in Artsakh to date.

It was stressed that all the illegal actions accompanied by the policy of deepening Armenian-phobia and xenophobia reveal the genocidal intentions of the Baku authorities, the ultimate goal of which is the complete ethnic cleansing of the indigenous population of Artsakh.

The Deputy Minister expressed his hope that the UN Security Council, as the primary body responsible for international peace and security, in accordance with its mandate, would continue to be involved in this issue, guaranteeing the dignity, security of civilians and fundamental human rights.