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Impediment to use the Lachin Corridor, the sole road connecting Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to Armenia, sets back the peace process and undermines the international confidence in it, Ambassador Robert Wood, Alternate U.S. Representative for Special Political Affairs at the United Nations, said in his remarks at the UN Security Council emergency meeting on Armenia and Azerbaijan on Tuesday.

“Impediments to the use of the Lachin Corridor sets back the peace process. They undermine international confidence in this process. And they carry potential severe humanitarian implications,” the diplomat said.

“We call on the government of Azerbaijan and others responsible for the Corridor’s security to restore free movement, including for humanitarian and commercial use, as soon as possible,” Wood stressed.

Encouraged by the restoration of gas supplies to Nagorno-Karabakh, he said any attempts to cut essential services were unacceptable. Outstanding grievances between Armenia and Azerbaijan must be solved through peaceful negotiations, he stressed, encouraging the parties to recommit to the peace process and re-establish the lines of communication across diplomatic channels.

“We remain ready to facilitate dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan bilaterally, trilaterally, and in coordination with partners like the EU and OSCE, to achieve a long-term political settlement to the conflict, in accordance with international law, including the UN Charter, as well as the Helsinki Final Act,” Wood added.