Azerbaijan reports end of construction of Lachin corridor alternative

Construction of an alternative road to the Lachin corridor

The Azerbaijan State Agency for Highways has reported on the progress of the construction of an alternative road to the Lachin corridor. Soon this road will become the only link between Armenia and part of Karabakh, where the Russian peacekeeping contingent is temporarily stationed. Currently, this function is performed by the Lachin corridor. What is the new road for?

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AAYDA – The State Agency for Highways of Azerbaijan has put an end to the dispute over who is building an alternative road to the Lachin corridor, reporting on the progress of the construction of this highway.

Who is building an alternative road to the Lachin corridor?

A photo of the construction of a bridge over the Khakari River, what many now refer to as the Lachin corridor alternative, appeared on social media. But who is building it?

The agency said in a statement that the new road is designed to bypass all major settlements.

The length of a two-lane highway with a width of 7 meters is 32 kilometers. On both sides of the highway, a 2.5-meter wide shoulder is provided.

The construction of a bridge about 140 meters long on the 22nd kilometer of the new road is nearing completion, the agency said.

The road is planned to be commissioned by the end of this year.

It should be noted that the construction of this road is outlined in the tripartite statement of November 10, 2020, which put an end to the second Karabakh war.

What does the tripartite statement say?

Paragraph 6 of the tripartite statement dated November 10, 2020 and signed by the Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan, as well as the Prime Minister of Armenia, states:

“The Republic of Armenia returns the Kelbajar region to the Republic of Azerbaijan by November 15, 2020, and the Lachin region by December 1, 2020. The Lachin corridor (five kilometers wide), which will provide a connection between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia and at the same time will not affect the city of Shusha, remains under the control of the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation.

By agreement of the Parties, in the next three years, a plan will be determined for the construction of a new traffic route along the Lachin corridor, providing a connection between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, with the subsequent redeployment of the Russian peacekeeping contingent to protect this route.

The Republic of Azerbaijan guarantees the safety of movement of citizens, vehicles, and goods along the Lachin corridor in both directions”.

Why does Azerbaijan need this road?

According to Azerbaijani experts, due to the passage of the Lachin corridor right through the city of Lachin, part of the Russian peacekeepers are stationed in this regional center.

One of the goals of building an alternative road is to ensure that it does not pass through Lachin. Thus, Azerbaijan will be able to relocate the peacekeepers from the city. But this does not mean the expulsion of the peacekeeping contingent, the Russian military will only move closer to the new road.

In any case, the alternative road may contain elements of reducing the area of movement of peacekeepers and their complete expulsion from the region in the future.