YEREVAN. July 20 (Interfax) - Yerevan is ready to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said.
However, issues relating to the rights and security of the Armenians living there need to be resolved, he said.
"Armenia is committed to continuing efforts to settle relations with Azerbaijan and open an era of peace in the region. We are certain that a stable peace in the region is possible if the parties show maximum readiness to solve the main causes of the conflict. The key issue is the rights and security of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh," Mirzoyan said at a special session of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna, which was called at Armenia's initiative.
Mirzoyan, citing statements by Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, said that Yerevan "is ready to recognize the territory of Azerbaijan as 86,600 square meters, which includes Nagorno-Karabakh, but with an understanding that the issue of the rights and security of Nagorno-Karabakh's Armenians should be discussed using the international mechanism in the format of the Stepanakert-Baku dialogue."
"Recognition of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity should not be interpreted as granting the right to conduct ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh," Mirzoyan said.
Despite Azerbaijan's assertions that Nagorno-Karabakh is its internal affair, the humanitarian crisis shows that no Armenian will be able to live in Nagorno-Karabakh without effective international mechanisms, he said.
"Although talks with Azerbaijan continue, a further deterioration of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh may seriously disrupt the political processes that are taking place. All partners interested in stability and peace in the South Caucasus should take drastic action. The situation is simple: putting pressure on Azerbaijan to open the Lachin Corridor will promote the prospects for peace in the region," Mirzoyan said.
The humanitarian crisis in Nagorno-Karabakh is becoming worse every hour, and it requires the immediate attention of the international community. International organizations should send missions to assess the suffering population's needs and provide it with humanitarian assistance, he said.
"Armenia expects Azerbaijan to open the Lachin Corridor, to ensure the unimpeded movement of road vehicles, cargo and people, [and] to grant humanitarian access to Nagorno-Karabakh," Mirzoyan said.
"We are talking about an ongoing humanitarian disaster," not the threat of a crisis, he said.
"It can't go on like this. The lives of 120,000 people are in danger. The siege of Nagorno-Karabakh and the blockade of the Lachin Corridor should be lifted; the issues associated with and resulting from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be solved in an appropriate way. This will create a path to progress in the talks on settling relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan and will bring long-awaited peace to the region," Mirzoyan said.