BAKU, Azerbaijan
After the Nagorno-Karabakh region, which is internationally recognized as Azerbaijani territory, was liberated through a deal following a 44-day war with Armenia, it entered a period of an economic revival thanks to new transportation lines.
According to the deal, all transportation lines that were closed due to the Karabakh issue will reopen. In this period, the Zangezur corridor, which was mentioned by President Ilham Aliyev several times, came to the forefront.
Zangezur was part of Azerbaijan, but in the 1920s, the Soviets gave the region to Armenia. After this move, Azerbaijan lost its link with Nakhchivan.
Azerbaijan has focused on projects in the Zangezur corridor which will include motorways and rail lines.
Azerbaijan and Russia will negotiate for the construction of a 43-kilometer railway in the region. Russia has railway properties in Armenia.
Some parts of the railway between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan, which was destroyed during the occupied period, will be repaired.
Following the completion of the railway, Azerbaijan will be able to reach Iran, Armenia and Nakhchivan uninterruptedly by train.
The railway will also link Turkey with Russia through Azerbaijan.
Telman Nusretoglu, a lecturer at Hazara University in the capital Baku, said the deal's most important part is the opening of these lines.
Mentioning the corridor's importance, he said it is crucial for reviving the regional economy and China's Belt and Road project.
The Belt and Road Initiative is an ambitious development program to connect Asia with Africa and Europe via land and maritime networks along six corridors with the aim of improving regional integration, increasing trade and stimulating economic growth.
Nusretoglu also said that Russia can improve its relations with Armenia, Iran and Turkey due to this corridor.
*Writing and contributions by Gokhan Ergocun from Istanbul
