France urges Azerbaijan to unblock Lachin corridor

France calls on Azerbaijan to unblock the sole road connecting Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) to Armenia, known as the Lachin corridor, without preconditions, the country’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

"France urges to resume supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh via the Lachin corridor, respecting the rights of people living there," the ministry said, according to TASS.

Paris also reiterated "the need to observe provisions of the trilateral ceasefire agreement adopted on November 9, 2020."

"Azerbaijan undertook to guarantee the safety of people, transport and cargo moving along the Lachin corridor in both ways," the statement reads.

The blockade began on Monday morning, when a group of Azerbaijanis, who claimed to be environmental activists, stopped traffic on the only road connecting Karabakh to the outside world, citing “illegal” mining activity there. Later on Tuesday, Azerbaijan also cut off the gas supply to Artsakh.