YEREVAN, March 19. /ARKA/. Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin stressed today the importance of a working group, set up by the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia to deal with the practical modalities of the reopening of transport links in the region saying it is a necessary precondition for the normalization of economic life and cooperation. He emphasized it also in terms of long-term security of the region.
Addressing a discussion on urgent issues of the Armenian-Russian strategic union in the face of current threats and challenges, the ambassador said all these factors and security issues, creating prerequisites for the development of trade and economic ties in the region, make it even more urgent to strengthen ties between the two countries, to use all the potential and experience that have been accumulated throughout their common history, and the experience that has been accumulated in recent times.
According to him, at the cost of colossal efforts, including of the Russian leadership, the military actions in Karabakh were stopped, a trilateral agreement was signed, and the foundation was laid for a very difficult, very controversial, but very important work to establish peace and strengthen security in the region.
“Now work is underway to rebuild Nagorno-Karabakh, to overcome the consequences of hostilities. Russia has invested a lot in this by deploying a peacekeeping contingent, setting up the International Center for Humanitarian Response, restoring civil infrastructure, which are necessary for the residents of Karabakh to return to normal life,” he said.
The trilateral commission chaired by Deputy Prime Ministers of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan Mher Grigoryan, Alexey Overchuk and Shahin Mustafayev was set up by the leaders of the three countries to deal with the reopening of transport links in the region
The reopening of all roads in the region stems from a statement signed by the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan and Armenian prime minister after four-hour talks in Moscow on January 11. They also agreed to set up a joint working group that will deal with practical issues relating to restoring transport links between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The rail and road links between Azerbaijan’s exclave Nakhichevan and the rest of Azerbaijan is to pass through southeastern Armenian province of Syunik. Armenia is supposed for its part to use Azerbaijani territory as a transit route for cargo shipments to and from Russia. -0-