Category: 2021

By Trend

Following the success in the 44-day second Karabakh war [from late Sept. to early Nov.2020], and liberation of its lands from Armenian occupation, Azerbaijan is focusing on reconstruction and revival of these territories.

Important projects have already been launched in this direction. Naturally, first of all, the creation of road infrastructure is one of the main tasks.

During his each visit to the liberated territories, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has been laying down foundations of strategically important objects, including roads and airports. For example, during his visit to the liberated Fuzuli district on January 14, the president laid down the foundations of the Fuzuli-Shusha road on the 27-km section of the Ahmadbayli-Fuzuli-Shusha highway, as well as the airport in the Fuzuli district.

The new design of the Fuzuli-Shusha road includes the construction of bridges and tunnels. In areas with difficult terrain, it’s planned to build bridges and tunnels instead of bypass roads. The new road will be connected to Fuzuli airport, and from this road another new road will be laid to Isa spring [in Shusha city].

The Horadiz-Aghbend railway, the foundation of which was laid down by President Aliyev on February 14, should be also mentioned. This railway, with a total length of 100 kilometers, has a huge strategic importance, because this transport infrastructure will play a significant role in ensuring the movement of Azerbaijani citizens to the liberated lands, and, most important, will greatly contribute to creating a direct railway transport link between the main part of Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

Besides, the foundations of the Fuzuli-Hadrut, Zangilan-Horadiz, as well as Barda-Aghdam highways have already been laid down, and a new alternative highway with nearly 80-km length is being built without entering the city of Lachin.

On August 29, Azerbaijani president reviewed the final completion work for the Ahmadbayli-Fuzuli-Shusha ‘Victory Road’ [being built to commemorate path which was used by Azerbaijani troops to liberate Shusha city] and was informed that the construction of the ‘Victory Road’ is nearing completion. The length of the two- or three-lane road is 101 kilometers. Asphalt-concrete pavement has already been laid on the 92-km section of the road. Work on other sections is ongoing. Bridges and underpasses have been built along the road.

The Victory Road is being built taking into account the development plan of Karabakh. Starting from the Hajigabul-Minjivan-Zangazur corridor, the road extends to the city of Shusha, the main city of Karabakh.

The construction of four new road bridges along the new road has been completed in accordance with the project. The bridges are 45, 80 and 90 meters long and were built at 26.9, 37.2, 37.5 and 57.3-km sections of the road. Thus, easy access to this road will be provided.

Recently, the State Agency for Azerbaijan Automobile Roads has published a map of roads being built in Karabakh and East Zangazur [economic regions]. The map covers 10 major highways under construction with a total length of 665.4 km, and also includes highways to be built, but the length of which isn’t specified.

Reportedly, along with the construction of 101-km Victory Road, construction of 81.6-km Ahmadbayli-Fuzuli-Shusha, 80.7-km Toghanaly-Kalbajar-Istisu, 72.3-km Kalbajar-Lachin, 123.8-km Ahmadbayli-Horadiz-Minjivan-Aghbend roads continues.

Besides, 22-km Talish-Tapgaragoyunlu-Gashalty, 83-km Khudafarin-Gubadly-Lachin, 43-km Shukurbayli-Jabrayil-Hadrut, 13-km Fuzuli-Hadrut and 45-km Barda-Aghdam highways are under construction.

By Vafa Ismayilova

Azerbaijani presidential aide Hikmat Hajiyv has said that “some discussions” on additional legal mechanisms for the mandate of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh are still underway, Trend reported on September 5.

Hajiyev made the remarks in an interview with the BBC, the report added.

He noted that the activities and operations of Russian peacekeepers in Karabakh were carried out in line with the trilateral declaration signed by the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders on November 10.

The presidential aide added that the November 10 trilateral agreement established a “political and to some extent legal framework” for peacekeeping forces.

“As for additional agreements and additional legal mechanisms on the mandate of peacekeepers, the parties have had initial contacts and some discussions are still ongoing,” Hajiyev said.

He stressed that all territories in Karabakh are Azerbaijan’s sovereign lands.

“All of Karabakh is the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan, the international community recognizes Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and in accordance with the November 10 statement, peacekeeping forces have been temporarily deployed in a certain part of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh region,” the presidential aide underlined.

In his words, the reconstruction is currently underway in all liberated territories. 

“The main task before us now is to carry out the building and reconstruction work in those areas. Over the past 30 to 40 years, there have been no reconstruction projects of this kind on this scale in the world”, he said.

About 2,000 Russian peacekeepers have been deployed for five years in Karabakh under the Moscow-brokered trilateral cease-fire deal signed in 2020. The signed agreement obliged Armenia to withdraw all its troops from the Azerbaijani lands that it had occupied since the early 1990s.

The deal also stipulated the return of Azerbaijan’s Kalbajar, Aghdam and Lachin regions. Before the signing of the peace deal, Azerbaijan liberated 300 villages, settlements, city centres, and historic Shusha city that had been under Armenian occupation for about 30 years.

On August 11, 2021, Azerbaijan urged the Russian peacekeepers to end the illegal deployment of Armenian troops on Azerbaijan’s territories under their temporary control.

Later on August 14, President Ilham Aliyev reiterated that Azerbaijan has recently identified that Armenian troops are being sent to Karabakh via the Lachin corridor that is controlled by the Russian peacekeepers and stressed that this contradicts the 10 November 2020 peace deal signed by Baku, Moscow and Yerevan.

By Vafa Ismayilova

Baku has said that the Azerbaijani government continues to work to ensure the return of IDPs to their native lands liberated from Armenia’s occupation in the last year’s war.

“The government of Azerbaijan continues its work to ensure the safe and dignified return of IDPs to liberated territories,” the Foreign Ministry said on its official Twitter account on September 6.

The ministry tweeted that 300 days have passed since the trilateral statement signed between Azerbaijan, Armenian and Russia on November 10, 2020.

The ministry also posted on its Twitter account a factsheet describing the major developments over the past 300 days. 

“More than 46,486 mines and unexploded ordnance [were] cleared from over 15,510 ha on the liberated territories. 160 Azerbaijani citizens have been killed or injured by mines laid by Armenia during the conflict. This includes two journalists and a government official who were killed in a fatal mine explosion whilst carrying out their duties,” the factsheet noted.

It underlined that the first international airport in liberated Fuzuli region has begun test flights and that two international airports are also under construction in Zangilan and Lachin regions.

The document stressed that Azerbaijan Airlines was among the first organizations to open job vacancies on the liberated territories, providing displaced communities returning to their homes in Karabakh with significant career opportunities.

The factsheet said that a master plan for the city of Aghdam was approved abs many iconic cultural buildings and historical monuments were restored in the city of Shusha. 

It noted that that the “smart village” project in Zangilan region’s Aghai village had been launched and its finalization is planned for early 2022.

The document added that the restoration of agriculture in the liberated territories has been continuing successfully. Ameliorative measures and cultivation of crops (including perennial crops) were carried out. Measures have also been taken to develop livestock, as primary herds and bee families have been relocated to these areas.

The Azerbaijani government secured a perspective energy deal with British oil producer, BP, with plans to establish a solar energy production facility in the liberated lands. The deal is part of Azerbaijan’s drive to implementing sustainable energy projects in the region.

A strategic roadmap encompassing railway infrastructure, roads and highways to increase the economic integration of the region’s countries, as part of the trilateral statement’s provision to unblock all economic and transport links in the region was prepared.

The Culture Ministry completed the inventory of 1,376 historical and cultural monuments (864 cultural institutions and 512 monuments and facilities of historical and archeological importance) in the liberated lands, including libraries, museums, music schools, cinemas, theatres, galleries. Almost all monuments and objects of historical, architectural, and archeological significance, cultural institutions have been completely demolished or vandalized.

Relevant agencies conducted a thorough assessment of the pollution caused by Armenian partnerships with international metals companies to the Okhchuchay river, which has led to the conditions dangerous to human health in Azerbaijan and other neighboring countries in the Caspian Sea, the factsheet said.

By Trend

Under the leadership of Supreme Commander-in-Chief, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijani army wrote the most glorious page in the history of Azerbaijan about a year ago – Karabakh was liberated following 30 years of occupation.

Large-scale work began in the liberated territories. One of the largest projects was the construction of a new airport in Fuzuli that meets international standards – an air gateway to Karabakh.

On January 14, 2021, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev laid the foundation for the Fuzuli Airport. The length of the runway is 3,000 meters, and the width is 60 meters.

The airport was built within the shortest possible period.

The test flight to Fuzuli international airport was carried out on September 5, and the first passengers of the largest passenger plane of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) – ‘Karabakh’ were media representatives.

The pilot of the plane, Farid Panahov, also said that he felt a pleasant excitement.

“Indeed, the construction of this airport, fully complying with international standards, is a great success, a historic event,” Panahov said.

Fuzuli International Airport will play an important role in the development of Azerbaijan’s economy, domestic and foreign tourism.

The opening of the airport also means keeping people busy.

Vice-president of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) Eldar Hajiyev said that operation of the airport at full capacity will become possible by the end of September.

Thus, reconstruction work in Karabakh continues at a rapid pace. After the construction of the airport, objects and houses ruined by Armenians will be restored.

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