What is known about the situation of the Lachin road into Karabakh?

By Ulviyya Amuyeva and Ramin Abdullayev

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AA) - The establishment of a checkpoint on the border between Azerbaijan and Armenia in the South Caucasus region recently became an important event.

The new checkpoint has been operational since Sunday on the Lachin-Khankendi road (Lachin corridor), a road Armenia has used to access the Karabakh region. The decision to install the checkpoint has been in the works for a long time, and represents Azerbaijan's response to numerous provocations by the Armenian side.

Contrary to the provisions of the Nov. 10, 2020 Russian-brokered cease-fire in the Karabakh conflict, Armenia and illegal Armenian armed groups operating in the Karabakh economic region of Azerbaijan used the Lachin road for military purposes, including for the transportation of mines. Natural resources looted from Azerbaijan were also transported via the same route.

This April 23, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry stated that the border checkpoint was created in response to threats to the security of the republic from Armenia.

"According to the obligations under the Trilateral Declaration (Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation, and Armenia), within the framework of this additional measure, which is a guarantee of security on the part of the Republic of Azerbaijan for the movement of citizens, vehicles and cargo along the Lachin road, the necessary conditions will be created for the transparent and orderly passage of Armenian residents living in the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan from this point to Armenia and Azerbaijan in both directions," the ministry said.

Thus, Baku made it clear that the installation by State Border Service (SBS) units of a checkpoint on the border with Armenia at the beginning of the Lachin-Khankendi road does not restrict the use of the road by Armenians living in the Karabakh economic region of the republic.

This means that the checkpoint established by Azerbaijan will not create obstacles for civilians.

Baku said it cannot turn a blind eye to Armenia's constant supplying of weapons and manpower to separatists during the beginning of the return of internally displaced persons, including to the Lachin district.

By installing the checkpoint, Baku fulfilled its obligations to ensure the safety of its citizens.

At the same time, Baku made it clear that Armenia should once and for all understand that there is no place for armed Armenian formations, terrorists, or saboteurs on the territory of Azerbaijan.

It underlined that the protection of sovereign territories and ensuring control at border crossing points is the sovereign and inalienable right of every state.

Amid tensions over the Lachin road, negotiations on signing a peace treaty, including through international mediation, have stalled.

- Protests on Khankendi-Lachin road: Struggle for rights of Azerbaijan

A protest rally organized by Azerbaijani volunteers and environmentalists, demanding an end to the illegal exploitation of mineral deposits in Azerbaijan and permission to do monitoring at the Gyzylbulag and Demirli mines, has been going on at the Lachin-Khankendi road for 135 days.

Demonstrators chant slogans such as "Azerbaijan is the owner of its resources," "End environmental crimes," "Stop eco-terror," "Take care of nature, " and "No Ecocide! Yes to monitoring."

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry statements have repeatedly focused on the illegal exploitation of the resources of the Kyzylbulag gold and Demirli copper-molybdenum mines, access to which is possible only through the Lachin road.

Armenia claims that the ongoing protests have led to the closure of the road.

- Is the road closed?

Both the Armenian authorities and those who call themselves the leaders of the Armenians of Karabakh claim that the Khankendi-Lachin road is closed, and the civilian population is not allowed access, and therefore there is a humanitarian crisis in the territories where the Armenian population lives.

Azerbaijani authorities, on the contrary, categorically deny these claims.

Baku says the road is closed due to the barricades of Russian peacekeepers, but there are no obstacles to civilian access.

Footage from the site of the protests also confirms that the corridor is open to civilians.

Vehicles of Russian peacekeepers with humanitarian aid and vehicles of the International Organization of the Red Cross move freely along the road.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly rejected the claims of the Armenian side, stating that the road is open for humanitarian and civilian transportation.

- Baku: Installation of border checkpoint on Azerbaijani own territory is our sovereign, legitimate right

Baku considers the statements of French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Legendre on the establishment of a checkpoint by Azerbaijan on the border with Armenia at the beginning of the Lachin-Khankendi road to be fundamentally unfounded, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said Monday in response to Legendre's statements regarding the situation on the Lachin road.

The opening of a border checkpoint on its own territory is a sovereign, legitimate right of Azerbaijan, the ministry said.

"There is no reason to claim that this step contradicts a Trilateral Statement, or an international document, or a court decision. Azerbaijan guarantees the safety of citizens, vehicles, and cargo on the Lachin-Khankendi road, and is ready to continue taking measures in this direction within the framework of its obligations," the ministry added.

Baku called on Paris to abandon its biased position, not to create obstacles to peace, stability, and development in the South Caucasus, and not to harm the process of normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia based on respect for international legal principles such as territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Baku also stated that the establishment of a checkpoint on the border with Armenia will ensure legality, transparency, and the safety of traffic.

"Ensuring border security and security of movement is the prerogative of the Azerbaijani government and a necessary condition for national security, state sovereignty, and the rule of law," the ministry said.

The diplomatic service also said the necessary conditions will be created on the Lachin road for the transparent and orderly passage of the Armenian population of the Karabakh region to Armenia and Azerbaijan in both directions.

- Kremlin reaction: No alternative to agreements of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on Karabakh

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that the establishment of a checkpoint by Azerbaijan on the Lachin road requires additional mediation efforts by Russia.

Moscow will continue to promote implementation of the trilateral agreements of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia, which remain uncontested, Peskov said, commenting on the establishment of a checkpoint by Azerbaijan on the Lachin road.

He said "the situation is really difficult" and "requires additional efforts," stressing the understanding on the part of Yerevan and Baku that there is "no alternative to the implementation" of the trilateral agreements of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia.

"Russia will continue to work on this together with Yerevan and Baku. We continue to make contacts. We are working with the capitals, we will continue this work," the Kremlin representative said.

Relations between the two former Soviet republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been tense since 1991, when the Armenian military occupied Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, and seven adjacent regions.

In the fall of 2020, in 44 days of clashes, Azerbaijan liberated numerous cities, villages and settlements from Armenian occupation. The Russian-brokered peace agreement is celebrated as a triumph in Azerbaijan.​​​​​​​