BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 22. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan Jeyhun Bayramov met with Head of the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) Office in Azerbaijan Dragana Kojic on December 22, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.
The sides discussed cooperative issues between Azerbaijan and the ICRC, the work done in the post-Karabakh conflict period in the region, and the latest situation on the Lachin road.
Bayramov outlined the importance of the ICRC activities in Azerbaijan. He also updated on the peaceful protests, held on the Lachin road against the illegal exploitation of Azerbaijan's natural resources in the area of Russian peacekeepers' temporary deployment. Moreover, the minister talked about the misuse of the Lachin road for transporting Armenia-made landmines produced in 2021.
The Azerbaijani minister emphasized that claims of the alleged blocking of the Lachin road by Azerbaijan, the use of a "blockade" against the Armenian residents, and the "emergence of a humanitarian catastrophe" have no basis. The ICRC vehicles move regularly along this road as well. He noted that the citizens, vehicles, and goods can pass unhindered along the road, and Azerbaijan is ready to provide all possible assistance to local people directly through the ICRC.
Meantime, Bayramov emphasized that lots of efforts should be done to ensure that persons posing as local Armenians wouldn't prevent the population from using the road, thereby trying to make it look as the "humanitarian catastrophe".
The officials also exchanged views on other issues of mutual interest.
