Since November 11, Azerbaijan, as the Secretary of the Security Council of the Republic of Armenia stated, has installed border-customs checkpoints on the Goris-Kapan interstate road. Later Armen Grigoryan said that Armenian drivers can go through that section for a fee. At the same time, the RA Human Rights Defender once again voiced that the presence of the Azerbaijani armed soldiers and law enforcement bodies, and especially their actions on the roads of the RA are illegal from the beginning. “It is not necessary to legitimize their presence and actions with announcements, but to work to remove them.”
Aravot talked about the topic with Hrant Mikayelyan, a researcher, economist, and political scientist at the Caucasus Institute research center.
– Mr. Mikaelyan, in your opinion, what are the threats posed by the installation of Azerbaijani checkpoints on the interstate road of the Republic of Armenia from economic, security, and other points of view?
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– The Armenia-Iran interstate road first of all becomes unsafe. The issue of security has several components. It turns out that several villages are cut off from other areas of Armenia. The residents of Syunik will lose the feeling of security. Besides, we will not be able to transport military cargo through our territory. By putting pressure on Armenia, issues are solved. The issues are solved again at the expense of the Republic of Armenia, and a customs point is set up on the domestic road. It is, however, a serious symbolic reality. Whoever says that it is the territory of Azerbaijan (he means what Nikol Pashinyan said, that the customs checkpoints were placed in the part considered to be Azerbaijani – author)…
Hrant Mikayelyan, a researcher, economist, and political scientist at the Caucasus Institute research center
It is not the territory of Azerbaijan, it is the territory of Soviet Azerbaijan, according to the 1976 map. Besides, we must pay Azerbaijan to transport any cargo through the territory of Armenia. This will complicate and create an obstacle in interstate and domestic trade. We must take into account the fact that the mentioned road section, where the Azerbaijani customs points are located, is not important for Azerbaijan, but it is important for Armenia. That is why Azerbaijan is doing it. In other words, taking into account the importance of that road for Armenia, Azerbaijan is trying to use it to put pressure on Armenia.
– If you make an analysis of the last year, what factors led to this situation after the war?
– The main thing is that neither the November 9 statement was negotiated adequately, nor the agreement reached in December. Thus, we left the territories that were under our control. There were no negotiations and the de facto demarcation took place illegally. There was no agreement on that. With the announcement of November 9, the Armenian side left Karvachar. We did so, but in return we did not demand the return of our captives. In other words, we left the Shahumyan region unconditionally. By that we are on this side of the Sotk mine, and the Azerbaijanis on the other side, and the demarcation takes place according to what they say, according to what they understand. This is a problem. In other words, there were no negotiations on many border issues, and here the current government has a very serious responsibility. Rather, it is to blame.
Luiza Sukiasyan
