The Diplomat
Azerbaijan regained control over the town of Lachin and its villages of Zabukh and Sus on 26 August, according to the Tripartite Declaration signed by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia on 10 November 2020, the Azerbaijani Embassy informed The Diplomat in a statement.
The Azerbaijani government has since that date implemented a new route of movement, in compliance with the same Declaration, which was determined and agreed with the mediation of the Russian side.
According to the statement, “the construction of the Azerbaijani section of the new high-quality road in such a short period of time is a clear example of Azerbaijan’s responsible stance on the implementation of its assumed obligations, including the obligations under the Tripartite Declaration”.
“Azerbaijan’s construction of the new road and regaining control over the town of Lachin and its villages of Zabukh and Sus create the conditions for ensuring the right of tens of thousands of internally displaced persons to safe and dignified return to their homes,” the briefing note adds, “which will be an important step in the process of the subsequent normalisation of the situation after the long-standing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh”.
In order to build the road, Azerbaijan claims that it “established contacts with the local Armenian population, which made it possible to carry out the construction of a significant part of the road without the presence of the Russian peacekeeping contingent“. According to the Baku authorities, “the aforementioned fact demonstrates the possibility of direct contact and joint action between the Azerbaijani and Armenian populations”, which “is a clear example of Azerbaijan’s readiness to provide solutions that ensure the safety of the local Armenian population”, the statement concludes.
