Overchuk announced the impossibility of creating extraterritorial corridors in the South Caucasus

interfax:  The trilateral working group on unblocking economic and transport ties in the South Caucasus (headed by the vice-premiers of the Russian Federation, Azerbaijan and Armenia) is developing decisions strictly based on the principle of the sovereignty of the parties, there can be no talk of creating any extraterritorial corridors in the region , said Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk.

"Russia has always supported the principle of the sovereignty of the parties and clearly stands on the positions of the statements of the leaders of the three countries on November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021. This means that at the negotiations of the Trilateral Working Group of Deputy Prime Ministers there is no "extraterritorial corridor", which somehow would infringe the sovereignty of any of the parties in a way, it is not and cannot be discussed," Overchuk said in an interview with “Rossiyskaya Gazeta.”

He stressed that "from the very beginning of work in the format of a trilateral working group, the approach of the Russian side to all the issues was extremely unambiguous and clear - to ensure the achievement of the goal agreed upon by the leaders of the three countries through negotiations, and it remains so."

Overchuk said that "in less than two years, a lot of painstaking work has been done, as a result, the negotiators have a vision of routes, the implementation of which can lead to the deblocking of the region."

"However, it is possible to open or build roads only after the parties clearly define the legal regime for crossing the border between countries, as well as traffic on these roads," the Deputy Prime Minister explained.

According to him, "it is important that in the course of the talks a principle was developed that formed the basis of approaches to defining this regime: "Sovereignty over the road is exercised by the country through whose territory the road passes."

"This means that if the road passes through the Armenian territory, then this is an Armenian road, if this passes along the Azerbaijani territory, then the Azerbaijani  road," Overchuk said.

He stressed: "In practice, the implementation of this principle means that for entry through unblocked or newly built roads into the territory of Armenia from Azerbaijan, the same border and passport control measures will be carried out as, for example, when entering Armenia from Iran. Similar passport control will be at the entrance from Armenia to Azerbaijan".

In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation said, "the issues of paying for the use of roads in accordance with the national laws of the parties, as well as ensuring security during the movement of citizens, vehicles and goods of one country through the territory of another country are being discussed."

According to him, "all parties today have an understanding of the possibility of practical implementation of these issues without infringing on the sovereignty of any party."

"However, the negotiations will be completed only when there is complete confidence that all legal aspects have been taken into account, nothing has been missed, and no one will interpret the result achieved as a victory over the opposite side. Successful completion of the negotiations will be a common victory for all of their participants," Overchuk said.

When asked if this means that the trilateral working group is working to ensure that the regime for crossing the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia is the same as everyone is usually used to see between countries that have normal relations, the Deputy Prime Minister replied: “Quite right. Let's go."

Overchuk acknowledged that "the trilateral working group cannot work in isolation from the events taking place between Armenia and Azerbaijan: every aggravation of the situation on the border slows down the negotiation process, every use of terminology unacceptable to one of the parties slows down the negotiation process, every time the process slows down when it trying, maybe with good intentions, to enter new participants.

"Every time after this happens, there is a pause in the negotiations, and you have to wait until the situation calms down a bit and clears up," he said.

The Deputy Prime Minister assured: "From constant communication with my colleagues, I know that both sides sincerely understand and strive for peace and prosperity, which cannot be achieved while living in conflict with neighbors."

“Almost immediately after the September tragedy, I managed to meet with my negotiating colleagues on both sides. Neither side wanted such a development of events, but the level of tension and distrust is so far such that any careless actions of each of the parties may have consequences , which no one wanted," Overchuk concluded.