Azerbaijan and Armenia Reopen Railway Line Agreement Reached
Azerbaijan and Armenia Make Progress on Transport Links with Russian Help
Azerbaijani and Armenian Deputy Prime Ministers, Şahin Mustafayev and Mher Grigoryan respectively, met in Moscow yesterday with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Aleksey Overçuk for the 12th Tripartite Working Group Meeting. According to statements from Overçuk after the meeting, significant progress was made towards opening transport links between the two countries.
Overçuk called it a “constructive meeting,” during which a joint agreement was reached on specific steps to reopen and reorganize the railway connection, particularly along the Arazdeyen (Yeraskh)-Julfa-Ordubad-Mehri-Horadiz route. The negotiation results will be presented to leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. The three parties agreed to continue their work within the Tripartite Working Group.
This meeting marks a positive step in the tense relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which have been hostile since a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh broke out in the early 1990s. Until now, the closed borders between the two countries, as well as between Armenia and Turkey, have prevented useful trade and travel connections in the region. However, there has been some recent optimism regarding the possibility of reopening transportation links since last year’s ceasefire agreement.
The recent meeting in Moscow was praised by the Armenian Foreign Ministry, which said that “the parties intend to continue to create an enabling environment for the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict…” Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani side emphasized that their support of such negotiations proves Azerbaijan’s commitment to the trilateral statement.
Opening up transport links could have a significant economic impact on the region, allowing for more effective trading and travel routes. As such, this latest progress is a potentially important step towards improving long-term relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
