🚧 As of 11:00 a.m., Azerbaijan continues to keep the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia closed. [Artsakh Ministry of Internal Affairs]

❗️Artsakh Defense Ministry informs that the message spread by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan that the Defense Forces units opened fire on the Azerbaijani positions on December 16, around 1:05 p.m., is misinformation.

🇦🇲🇪🇺 Charles Fries, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service for common security and defense policy and crisis response, arrived in Yerevan today for the purpose of political consultations.
📌 According to the message of the EU delegation in RA, meetings are planned with the leadership of the RA government to discuss issues on the agenda of bilateral relations, including the implementation of the Comprehensive and Extended Partnership Agreement. The European official aims to discuss with Armenian partners the introduction of the European Union Observation Mission, as well as possible further steps. The parties will discuss the EU's efforts to normalize Armenia-Azerbaijan relations.

📍 In a joint statement, the four co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (in charge of monitoring Azerbaijan and Armenia) addressed the situation in Lachin, expressing their concern about the interruption of free movement.

📢 "Freedom and safety of movement of people and goods along the corridor must be urgently restored. We reaffirm our readiness to provide all necessary political support, including by conducting a fact-finding mission in the region."
|armenpress.am|

🇺🇸The Lachin Corridor must be re-opened immediately - the closure has the potential to cause a significant humanitarian crisis. This corridor is an essential route for the flow of much needed food and medical supplies that must be allowed to flow freely. [Samantha Power, Former US ambassador to the UN]

🇱🇹 Deeply concerned about the continuing blockade of the
Lachin Corridor, resulting in severe humanitarian consequences for Nagorno Karabakh. Such developments not only hinder the free movement, but also derail the whole peace process in South Caucasus. [MFA of Lithuania]

❗️ The Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan is spreading misinformation for the second time today that the Defense Forces units allegedly violated the ceasefire regime from 16:05 to 18:00, opening fire at Azerbaijani positions with various interruptions. [Artsakh Ministry of Defense]

🇦🇲🇷🇺🇦🇿 There have been no recent incidents of peacekeeping troops carrying out a mission in Nagorno-Karabakh, and no incidents of ceasefire violation. The command of the Russian peacekeepers continues the negotiations with the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides regarding the resumption of the unhindered movement of automobile transport on the Stepanakert-Goris road. [Russian Ministry of Defense] |armenpress.am|

🇪🇺🇦🇲🇦🇿There’s a video circulating about an EUMCAP patrol observing the road leading to the Lachin Corridor. The patrol was then at a checkpoint about 1,2km from the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. EUMCAP, in line with its mandate, operates exclusively on Armenia’s territory and did not enter the Corridor. [Toivo Klaar, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia]

🇦🇲🗞 Daily News Summary [16.12.2022]

https://infocom.am/en/article/93994

❗️For the sixth day already, Azerbaijan continues to close the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia.
Taking into account the situation created by the blockade of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Artsakh Ministry of Internal Affairs, in order to properly ensure public order and internal security, carries out service in the capital and regions in an enhanced mode. [Artsakh Ministry of Internal Affairs of]

🇺🇸 Closing the Lachine Corridor could have serious humanitarian consequences and, frankly, slows down the peace process. We are happy that the gas supply to Nagorno Karabakh has been restored. Failures in energy infrastructure can lead to a humanitarian crisis. We call for the restoration of free movement through the corridor as soon as possible, and the way to do this is through negotiations. [Vedant Patel, Deputy Spokesperson of the US State Department] |armenpress.am|

📜 About three dozen congressmen led by US Congressman Adam Schiff sent a letter to US President Joe Biden, urging him to use every possible tool to ensure the security of the people of Artsakh, including stopping financial support to Azerbaijan and applying sanctions. |armenpress.am|

❌ The message spread by the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan, as if the units of the Defense Forces opened fire on the Azerbaijani positions on December 17, around 09:05, is misinformation. [Press service of Artsakh Ministry of Defense]

🗣 We continue to work, and nothing has changed, we continue to remain under blockade, and despite these difficulties, I am very excited, because I see both the will and the readiness in people to go through this situation calmly: to work, live, and in no way feel like we're in a blockade, panicked, or depressed.

📌 We are building a system that will include a number of important circumstances. The first will be a system for everyone, everyone will be equal before the system and everyone must understand that the system works. Secondly, transparency and communication, this is important for feedback.
[Artsakh State Minister Ruben Vardanyan] |tert.am|

Around 120,000 Armenians, including 30,000 children, live in the enclave, and the alleged road closure has isolated them from the world and deprived them of food, medicine, and basic necessities.
Families have reportedly been separated, and many are unable to reach Armenia for adequate medical treatment. I am concerned about the precarious humanitarian conditions of the people, which are in further danger of deteriorating during the winter season. [Pope Francis]

Galust Sahakyan, the former speaker of the National Assembly, died. The news was confirmed by Republican Party of Armenia. Sahakyan was 74 years old. |tert.am|

🇦🇲🗞 Daily News Summary [17-18.12.2022]

https://infocom.am/en/article/94044

❗️🚧 For already the 8th day, Azerbaijan continues to keep the only road connecting Artsakh to Armenia blocked. 1100 citizens, of which 270 are minors, have no opportunity to return home. [Artsakh Information Center]