Baku and Yerevan have begun discussing the resumption of transport communication, which "can become a turning point" for the situation in the region, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said at a meeting with OSCE Chair Anne Linde.
According to the press service of the head of state, Aliyev and Linde, who is now also the head of the Swedish Foreign Ministry, first communicated one-on-one, then they were joined by members of the delegations.
"We have already begun the negotiation process with Armenia to open communications. This is part of the statement signed on November 10. There have already been a number of meetings at various levels. This could be a turning point to completely close the page of the war. The opening of communications will be beneficial for all countries in the region, it will create new opportunities, it will give a new momentum. I openly say that Azerbaijan is ready for this," Aliyev said.
According to the Azerbaijani leader, "the conflict is in the past," and the sides must look to the future.
He stressed that the events of the past four months showed the readiness of both sides to move forward.
Last December, Aliyev proposed creating a transport corridor connecting Nakhichevan to western Azerbaijan via Armenia. According to him, the presidents of Russia and Turkey "positively reacted to the idea". Aliyev is confident that it will allow taking Nakhichevan out of the blockade, and a new transport artery will open at the same time.
At the end of September last year, hostilities resumed in Nagorno-Karabakh, which was a continuation of the long-standing conflict and resulted in civilian casualties. The sides made several attempts to conclude a ceasefire, but a trilateral agreement mediated by Moscow on the night of November 10 proved successful.
Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed to a complete cease-fire and to an exchange of prisoners and bodies. Yerevan gave Kelbajar, Lachin and Agdam districts to Baku. Russian peacekeepers are stationed in the region.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: official website of the President of the Russian Federation
Based on materials from RIA Novosti