As they meet in Moscow on Thursday, Azerbaijan and Armenia are desirous to settle the decadeslong dispute over the Karabakh area.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian reiterated his announcement this week that his nation would acknowledge Karabakh as a part of Azerbaijan and would open all transport hyperlinks.
“I feel there’s a chance of a peace settlement – particularly as a result of Armenia has formally acknowledged Karabakh as a part of Azerbaijan,” Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev mentioned in response.
Aliyev and Pashinian had been to satisfy within the night, mediated by Russian President Vladimir Putin, to hammer out the peace settlement presumably. Nonetheless, it was initially unclear whether or not this might succeed.
“I need to verify that Armenia and Azerbaijan have agreed to mutual recognition of one another’s territorial integrity,” Pashinian mentioned. “And on this foundation, we will say that we’re fairly nicely on settling our relationships.”
Aliyev confirmed that there was an opportunity of normalizing the connection. Putin had mentioned the settlement was attainable as a result of it was within the curiosity of the financial growth of either side.
Aliyev on Thursday denied that Baku has any territorial claims in opposition to Yerevan.
“I need to say that we now have no such (territorial) claims (on Armenia) … As for the phrase ‘hall,’ which I used, I used (it) in the identical manner in regards to the North-South hall, in the identical manner, this phrase is used in regards to the East-West hall, The phrase ‘hall’ is under no circumstances an encroachment on somebody’s territory. It’s a global time period,” Aliyev mentioned.
Pashinian claimed following opening remarks on the Supreme Eurasian Financial Council that Aliyev’s statements on Baku’s initiation of the creation of the Zangezur hall had been “an expression” used to place ahead territorial claims in opposition to Armenia.
The Zangezur area was a part of Azerbaijan, although the Soviets gave it to Armenia within the Nineteen Twenties, leaving Azerbaijan disadvantaged of its direct overland path to Nakhchivan.
Following a 44-day battle between Azerbaijan and Armenia in September 2020, Baku liberated quite a few cities, villages and settlements in Karabakh from Armenian occupation, ending in a Moscow-brokered truce.
Since then, Azerbaijan has centered on deliberate connections, together with motorways and a 43-kilometer (26.7-mile) railway by way of the hall.
Aliyev additionally denied Pashinian’s claims that Azerbaijan is obstructing the circulation of transport by way of the Lachin highway, the one route connecting Armenia to the Karabakh area, saying the highway is open and that it isn’t proper to “use this assembly for baseless accusations.”
“A border checkpoint has been established on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border. There’s a checkpoint of Russian forces 20 meters away from this border checkpoint. Azerbaijani residents of Armenian origin residing in Karabakh can go to Armenia from right here with none hindrance,” Aliyev mentioned.
Final month, Azerbaijan introduced that it established a border checkpoint at the place to begin of the Lachin-Khankendi highway, citing using the highway by Armenia to move army arms and tools to the area illegally.