BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug.16
By Elchin Mehdiyev - Trend:
Azerbaijan’s victory in the 44-day Karabakh war [from late Sept. to early Nov.2020] created a new reality in the region, actualizing the issue of opening the Zangezur corridor, Azerbaijani MP Vugar Iskandarov told Trend on Aug.16.
According to Isgandarov, as President Ilham Aliyev stated in his interview to CNN Turk TV channel, the opening of roads, the creation of the Zangezur corridor, the resumption of trade ties, and thus the restoration of peace in the South Caucasus, meets the interests of Azerbaijan.
"As the head of state noted, this also meets the interests of Armenia because it can establish a railway connection with both Iran and Russia, the MP said. “If Armenia wants to develop normally, it has to fulfill its obligations within the framework of the trilateral statement of November 10, 2020 [between the president of Azerbaijan, Russia, and Armenia’s prime minister to end the 2020 Karabakh war]."
Besides, according to him, the opening of the mentioned corridor will serve new purposes.
"As President Ilham Aliyev noted in his interview, the opening of this corridor serves many purposes: Azerbaijan will be connected with Turkey through a new transport project," he reminded. “The Zangezur corridor will become the second direction after the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which will connect the two countries. New opportunities will appear for Azerbaijan [owing to the corridor].”
“Moreover, Azerbaijan will be connected by railway with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic [the country’s exclave]. Azerbaijan also demands that a road be built in Western Zangezur, in Meghri, which is under the control of Armenia, since both a railway and a road must be created for the full operation of the Zangezur corridor," Iskandarov noted.
In his opinion, the opening of the Zangezur corridor, also supported by the EU, will create new opportunities for the countries of the region.
"Therefore, Armenia has no other choice but to take steps in accordance with the formed realities, that is, Armenia, without wasting time, must sign a peace treaty with Azerbaijan and recognize its territorial integrity, recognized by the international community," added the MP.