The issue of the implementation of the Zangezur corridor requires clarification with Armenia - I. Aliyev

Baku/19.04.22/Turan: The Brussels meeting on April 6 between the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia with the participation of the President of the EU Council Charles Michel became the "starting point" for the start of the negotiation process between Baku and Yerevan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on Tuesday while receiving EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Toivo Klaar.

In particular, Aliyev pointed to the achievement of agreements on the establishment of a Commission on the delimitation of the border and a working group on a peace agreement. “Since then, we have been working, the Foreign Ministry has been working, and my administration has been in touch with your team, and we are ready to start work. I consider it important to continue this progress so that both sides adhere to the agreements,” Aliyev stressed.

At the same time, one of the issues requiring clarification from the Armenian side is the creation of communications (railway and highway) between Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan autonomy. “The Azerbaijani side has already laid more than 60 km of the railway on its territory out of the required 100 km, and expects completion in 2023. Azerbaijan is also actively building a highway to the border with Armenia.

The Azerbaijani part of the road will be ready by the end of next year. However, Armenia has not even prepared a feasibility study for the project, which indicates a delay in the process,” Aliyev said.

According to him, on April 6, at a meeting in Brussels, the Prime Minister of Armenia did not specify the geographical coordinates of the highway. “I raised this issue in a video conference on February 4, but did not receive a response. On April 6, I again requested the geographical coordinates of the road, but again there was no answer. I hope that we will receive them in the near future,” Aliyev stressed.

In general, Aliyev called "a turning point" the fact that Armenia accepts the 5 principles proposed by Azerbaijan to normalize relations. “We positively assess this statement of the Armenian side. The time has come for both sides to prove the seriousness of intentions at the negotiating table,” Aliyev said.

Toivo Klaar, in turn, noted that the purpose of his visit to Azerbaijan is to ensure the implementation of the agreed issues. He also noted that he will leave for Yerevan in the second half of the week.

“I am here today to find out how you see the next steps and what we, as the EU, can do to support the process of normalization (Armenian-Azerbaijani relations),” Klaar emphasized.—06B-