Karabakh’s political leaders, who organized the rally, again struck a defiant note as they addressed the large crowd that gathered in the city’s central square on the 14th day of the road blockade which has led to serious shortages of food, medicines and other basic goods in the Armenian-populated region.
They appealed to the international for urgent intervention in the face of what they see as Azerbaijani efforts to drive the Karabakh Armenians out of their homeland.
Ruben Vardanyan, the Karabakh premier, said the local population has been left with three options.
“First, we submit and sooner or later integrate into Azerbaijan,” Vardanyan said in a speech. “Second, we get out of here. Third, we fight.”
“I made my decision on September 2,” he said, referring to the date of his relocation from Armenia to Karabakh. “I’m here, I’m fighting and I’m not going to leave or obey Azerbaijan’s conditions.”
“We must oppose, counter them with our collective strength,” added Vardanyan.
The Karabakh protest came amid what appears to be growing international pressure exerted on Azerbaijan.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Baku to “allow free movement along the Lachin Corridor” when he phoned his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev on Friday. According to the French readout of the call, Aliyev expressed his “intention” to do so.
However, Aliyev’s press office quoted him as defending the Azerbaijanis who closed the corridor on December 12 on ostensibly environmental grounds. It said he told Macron that they are right to protest against “illegal” mining activities in Karabakh.
Aliyev also spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin’s readout of the call made no mention of the blockade.
Speaking in Baku on Saturday, Aliyev said that he will not bow to the international pressure. “Nobody can influence us,” he said.
Meanwhile, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, phoned Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov on Saturday for the second time in three days. Borrell tweeted afterwards that they discussed “the need for freedom of movement and humanitarian access through the Lachin corridor.” He described the conversation as “constructive.”