"Baku and Yerevan have agreed to remove the provision concerning transportation communications, including the route connecting Nakhchivan, from the peace treaty."
AzNews.az reported that this statement was made by Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan.
However, she noted that the opening of the routes remains an important part of Armenia's vision and agenda for peace and economic development in the region. According to Badalyan, the agreement stipulates that this issue will be resolved at a later stage.
It should be recalled that earlier, Elchin Amirbayov, the special representative of the Azerbaijani President, stated that the parties had agreed to remove the provision concerning transportation communications, including the route connecting the western part of Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan, from the peace treaty draft. The resolution of this issue is planned for a subsequent stage.
Reaching a common understanding between Baku and Yerevan on removing the provision concerning transportation communications, including the Nakhchivan route, from the peace treaty encompasses several significant aspects.
In our view, this agreement primarily means that more complex and contentious issues in resolving the historical conflict will be discussed at a later stage. The Nakhchivan route, also known as the Zangezur corridor, is of critical importance for regional transportation and economic relations. However, since this issue was not agreed upon in the initial phase of discussions, it has been deferred to a later stage to expedite the signing of the peace agreement. This approach not only demonstrates that the main contentious issues are not resolved in the preliminary stage but also provides the parties with the opportunity to discuss these issues in more detail.
Such agreements also offer a clue to envisioning the structure of the peace treaty. It can be inferred that the peace treaty may be divided into various sections, allowing issues to be resolved in different stages. This enables the resolution of more urgent and easily negotiable issues in the initial phase, while deferring more complex issues. The removal of transportation communications from the text of the peace agreement reflects this structuring.
It is known that the opening of the communication linking Nakhchivan with the main territory of Azerbaijan is significant for the development of economic relations and regional integration. The opening of this corridor can also facilitate regional transit and accelerate economic development. Armenia's decision to postpone the resolution of this issue overall suggests a lack of a clear vision regarding economic development and peace prospects in the region. Nevertheless, the agreement to disagree reflects the pursuit of a more sustainable and long-term resolution between the parties.
It can be anticipated that the peace negotiations will become more dynamic and complex in the next stage, likely driven by Azerbaijan’s insistence.
Difficulties in peace negotiations are natural, but the parties can overcome challenges through cooperation.
Taleh Shahsuvarli