Azerbaijan Lifts Curbs on Cargo Transit to Armenia in Sign of Growing Peace

Astana, Oct 21: In a significant step toward lasting peace and regional cooperation, Azerbaijan has lifted all restrictions on cargo transit to Armenia, President Ilham Aliyev announced on Tuesday. The move marks a symbolic and practical milestone in the normalization of relations between the two South Caucasus nations after nearly four decades of conflict.

Aliyev made the announcement during a meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana, where he highlighted a recent shipment of Kazakh grain passing through Azerbaijan to Armenia — the first such consignment since the late Soviet period, when war between the two countries first erupted.

“I think this is also a good indicator that peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia is no longer on paper, but in practice,” Aliyev said, as quoted by Azerbaijani state media.

Hikmet Hajiyev, assistant to the President and head of the foreign affairs policy department of the presidential administration, confirmed to Reuters that the cargo shipments would reach Armenia via Georgia. He described the move as “an economic benefit of peace” and a sign of Baku’s willingness to open new avenues for regional trade and cooperation.

In Yerevan, Armenian officials welcomed the development. A spokeswoman for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said Aliyev’s decision was a “step of great importance for opening regional communications, strengthening mutual trust, and institutionalising the peace established between Armenia and Azerbaijan.”

The two nations were embroiled in a prolonged and bitter conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a mountainous region internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but largely populated by ethnic Armenians. The conflict first erupted in the late 1980s during the collapse of the Soviet Union and escalated into two major wars. For nearly three decades, Nagorno-Karabakh operated as a de facto independent region under Armenian control until Azerbaijan regained full authority over the territory in 2023 following a swift military operation.

Since then, both countries have been engaged in peace negotiations facilitated by the United States, the European Union, and Russia. In August, Armenia and Azerbaijan reached a U.S.-brokered peace agreement aimed at ending decades of hostilities, reopening borders, and promoting economic integration. However, several contentious issues remain unresolved, including Azerbaijan’s demand that Armenia amend its constitution to remove references to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Despite these challenges, the lifting of trade and transit restrictions is being viewed as a major confidence-building measure that could pave the way for broader cooperation. Analysts say the development may also catalyse new infrastructure projects across the South Caucasus — a region rich in oil and gas reserves and a vital corridor connecting Asia and Europe.

With the war in Ukraine disrupting traditional trade routes through Russia, the South Caucasus has gained strategic importance as an alternative transit link for European markets. The planned U.S.-supported regional transit corridor, expected to enhance energy exports and economic connectivity, could further bind Armenia and Azerbaijan in shared prosperity.

Aliyev’s announcement, coupled with Yerevan’s positive response, signals cautious optimism that peace in the region is not only achievable but already taking tangible form through cooperation and commerce.