Azerbaijani official urges Garabagh separatists to halt "political propaganda," start reintegration

Azerbaijan has sent a convoy of aid to Armenians living in Karabakh, using the newly-opened Aghdam Khankendi road - an alternative route to the Lachin road. Trucks loaded with 40 tons of flour arrived at a Russian checkpoint. Azerbaijan says it is negotiating with the Russian peacekeepers for the vehicles to pass.

Baku’s decision to send aid follows Yerevan’s claim of a dire humanitarian situation in the region. Hikmat Hajiyev, the diplomatic adviser to the Azerbaijani president, has been speaking to TRT World. He denies there is a humanitarian crisis in Karabakh and is urging the Armenians living in Karabakh to think about integration with Azerbaijan.

Since the signing of the trilateral statement of 2020, Armenians on many occasions and in a systematic way, misused the Lachin road, that rounds through the territory of Azerbaijan, for illegal shipment of the military personnel, armaments, landmines and so on.

And even under the ICRC convoy, Armenia attempted to use it for smuggling purposes and some other reasons as well. The [word inaudible] is functional, but in the meantime, Azerbaijan’s border control regime and also Azerbaijan’s customs regime must be expected.

Along with the Lachin road, Azerbaijan has suggested the usage of the Aghdam-Khankendi road that rounds from the mainland Azerbaijan to its Garabagh region. Azerbaijan sees the Aghdam-Khankendi road as an important element of the reintegration process.

Azerbaijan delivered food cargo along the Lachin-Khankendi road and this food cargo, through the Russian peacekeepers, will be delivered to the Khankendi region, the city of Azerbaijan and also Garabagh region as such. It is an important step forward but, of course, the real getting out of the current situation is that Armenia should stop all of its futile actions and all of its political propaganda and diplomatic adventurism.

TRT World interview on functionality of Agdam-Khankandi road pic.twitter.com/G04JHFKAFe

— Hikmet Hajiyev (@HikmetHajiyev) August 31, 2023