US political leaders call for end on Azerbaijani blockade as situation in Artsakh intensifies
LOS ANGELES - It's been over three weeks since Azerbaijan blocked the Lachin Corridor… the only road connecting the small town of Artsakh, also known as Nagorno-Karabakh, to Armenia and the rest of the world. Now US political leaders are calling on President Biden to intervene and immediately end the blockade.
The Lachin Corridor has been closed by Azerbaijan since December 12, limiting Artsakh's access to food and medical care. During the blockade, Azerbaijan cut off power to Artsakh, leaving residents without heat in the freezing cold winter. The Armenia-Artsakh gas pipeline is under Azerbaijani control, and the gas supplyhas been shut off at least three times in 2022.
Political leaders across the US have spoken out and urged President Biden to take action by pressuring Azerbaijan to lift its blockade, stop sending US military aid to Azerbaijan and to send emergency humanitarian assistance to Artsakh.
Now Los Angeles' newest mayor is speaking out after a Rally for Life protest ended at her house Tuesday night.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
Artsakh blockade continues despite restored gas supply in the region
She took to Twitter to say "I stand with the Armenian community here in Los Angeles calling for an end to the blockade of the Lachin Corridor. We must clearly demonstrate our commitment to freedom by helping the people of Artsakh. This is a crisis and will only get worse with inaction. Lives are at stake."
Bass and LA City Council President Paul Krekorian drafted a letter to Biden calling for his assistance.
"This is a humanitarian issue. This is an issue that everyone in the world who cares about democracy should care about because you have two dictators who are trying to stifle a young, tiny democracy of indigenous people who are just trying to live in peace on their own historic land," Krekorian said.
He called the blockade "a direct and shameless violation" of the terms in the agreement by Azerbaijan and Russia that ended the 2020 war. Since the end of the war, Russian peacekeepers were deployed to areas along the border of Azerbaijan and Artsakh.
In mid-December, Congressman Adam Schiff, the Armenian Caucus Vice Chair, also drafted a Congressional letter to President Biden.
President Biden has yet to speak on the matter.