The Artsakh population considers that the Akna-Stepanakert road’s opening may lead to the final closure of the Lachin Corridor and be a step toward integrating Artsakh with Azerbaijan. Davit Karabekyan, a lecturer at Artsakh State University, political scientist, said this in an interview with “Aravot.”
According to Davit Karabekyan, Azerbaijani mass media, including the official ones, are voicing theses about integration. “The position of Armenia on this issue should be highlighted during the negotiations. In other words, it should be established that if the Akna Road is to be operated, it has nothing to do with the Lachin Corridor because, in the negotiations, there was talk about an additional road.
The official opinion of Artsakh in those negotiations should be that the Lachin Corridor should act. Moreover, it should function as stated in the statement “November 9,” he said.
Read also
According to Davit Karabekyan, if Azerbaijan insists that the Akna-Stepanakert road should be opened, it is a matter of negotiations. And those negotiations, according to our interlocutor, should also take place with the participation of the Republic of Armenia so that there are no unnecessary comments and speculations about the possible integration, the final closure of the Lachin Corridor, etc.
“In addition, we must continue to fight for the Lachin Corridor to function as defined in the document of November 9, that is, there will be no Azerbaijani control border point, the corridor will be 5 km wide, and cargo and passengers will be transported uninterruptedly in both directions. If Baku wants to show goodwill and exploit the Akna road, it should be agreed with Armenia and Azerbaijan in advance, and preferably, the negotiations should be in the format of the OSCE Minsk Group.
Russia strives to be itself and insists that the negotiations take place in Evlakh, on the territory of Azerbaijan. Baku agrees, but being in a third neutral country is desirable to avoid possible pressures and speculations. And preconditions and blackmail should be excluded. For example, Azerbaijan likes to raise the issue of the “Zangezur Corridor,” but it should be taken into account that Baku raised the issue of the Akna Road in negotiations with the mediation of the European Union. In no way can it be connected with either the “Zangezur Corridor” or the Lachin Corridor regime,” Davit Karabekyan added.
Rosa HOVHANNISYAN
