Substantive talk over the unblocking of the region is underway within the Russia-Armenia-Azerbaijan deputy prime ministerial working group. The key to solving this issue is the unblocking of Armenia which, in fact, is a blockaded country since it has gained its independence, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said in an interview to the Rossiyskaya Gazeta newspaper.
“In case of presence of a good will, the transportation communication will open in the South Caucasus, the trade will start to develop, the economies of the two countries will get a new impulse for development and the people’s life will improve. It’s important that such good will exists,” Overchuk said.
According to him, from the very beginning the sides have agreed that they are choosing an approach based on common sense, which allowed starting discussing all possible railway and automobile routes between the two countries.
“The possibilities of transportation communication between Azerbaijan’s western regions and the Nakhijevan Autonomous Republic via the territory of Armenia are being considered. At the same time issues connected with the launch of a travel from Armenia to Russia via the territory of Azerbaijan or from Armenia and Russia to Iran via the territory of Nakhijevan are being solved. Moreover, Armenia can get an opportunity to use the Azerbaijani ports in the Caspian Sea for the transfer of cargo to the countries of Central Asia or from these countries to Armenia”, the Russian deputy PM noted.
Overchuk said Armenia has very limited transportation communication opportunities with the outside world, which obstructs the economic development and negatively affects the migration processes and doesn’t allow Armenia to fully reveal its potential.
“The transportation unblocking in the region is important for Russia, the Eurasian Economic Union and all neighboring countries. At the same time, Armenia will not only turn into a major international transportation hub connecting the Iranian ports of the Persian Gulf with the Black Sea ports, as well as Russian ports in the Baltic and the Pacific, but also it will be able to launch its own production because there will be a chance to enter into new markets, and the factors limiting the exports from the country will be left in the past.
