Stepanakert states Baku's demand to use highway bypassing Lachin Corridor

Azerbaijan has demanded from Nagorno-Karabakh authorities to organize traffic along the new route bypassing the Lachin Corridor, the president of the unrecognized republic has stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 29, the Armenian Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure announced that in August the construction of a road bypassing the Lachin Corridor and linking Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia would begin.

According to the agreement signed by Aliev, Pashinyan and Putin, Armenia transferred the territory of the Lachin District to Azerbaijan. In June 2022, the Azerbaijan State Highway Agency reported that the construction of the 32-kilometre-long Azerbaijani section of the road continues at an accelerated pace and is scheduled to be completed this year. The transfer of Lachin (the Armenian name is Berdzor) under Azerbaijan's control was delayed due to the absence of an alternative road from Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia. After the launch of this road, Lachin will be transferred to Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani experts explained in July.

On August 2, Araik Arutyunyan, the Nagorno-Karabakh President, convened an expanded sitting of the Security Council with the participation of MPs of the National Assembly, at which it was announced that Azerbaijan had demanded, via the Russian peacemaking contingent, "to organize traffic along the new route in the near future."

The demand of the Azerbaijani party means that "Azerbaijan will promptly set up a checkpoint in the highway section running to Berdzor, Akhavno and Sus," Tigran Abraamyan, a military expert and a former adviser to the ex-president of Nagorno-Karabakh, has suggested.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on August 3, 2022 at 10:16 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.