Beleaguered Armenian area in Azerbaijan accepts pressing help cargo

YEREVAN, Armenia — Authorities in an remoted ethnic Armenian area of Azerbaijan on Tuesday allowed entry of a humanitarian help cargo in a step towards easing a dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan that has blocked transport to the area since late final yr.

The area, referred to as Nagorno-Karabakh, has been below the management of ethnic Armenians because the 1994 finish of a separatist battle. That battle had left a lot of the encompassing territory below Armenian management as nicely, however Azerbaijan regained that territory in a six-week-long battle with Armenia in 2020; Nagorno-Karabakh itself remained outdoors Azerbaijani management.

Beneath the armistice that ended the battle, Russia deployed some 3,000 peacekeeping troops in Nagorno-Karabakh and had been to make sure that the only real highway connecting the enclave to Armenia would stay open. Nevertheless, Azerbaijan started blocking the highway in December, alleging Armenians had been utilizing it to ship weapons and smuggle minerals.

The blockage induced critical food shortages in Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan proposed that meals be despatched in on a highway main from the city of Agdam, however the area’s authorities resisted the proposal due to concern that it was a technique to soak up Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijan agreed this week that each the Agdam highway and the highway to Armenia, referred to as the Lachin Hall, might be used for help shipments below Worldwide Committee of the Pink Cross auspices.

The help delivered on Tuesday contains 1,000 meals units together with flour, pasta and stewed meat, together with mattress linen and cleaning soap.

“We regard the truth that the cargo was delivered exactly alongside the … highway as a Positive step and an vital shift in direction of the opening of this highway,” mentioned Azerbaijani International Ministry spokesman Aykhan Hajizade.