Azerbaijan Lifts Cargo Transit Ban, Signaling Peace With Armenia

Azerbaijan has lifted all cargo transit restrictions to Armenia, signaling warming relations after decades of conflict. President Ilham Aliyev described a recent Kazakh grain shipment as evidence of peace moving beyond paper agreements. The change promises economic benefits and enhances connectivity in the South Caucasus region.

Azerbaijan has removed all cargo transit restrictions to Armenia, a move indicative of improving relations between the two nations after nearly 40 years of conflict, President Ilham Aliyev announced Tuesday. This decision comes after a shipment of Kazakh grain marked the first such delivery from Azerbaijan to Armenia since the late Soviet years.

President Aliyev, speaking with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, pointed to this shipment as a tangible sign of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Hikmet Hajiyev, Aliyev's foreign policy aide, emphasized the economic advantages of this newfound peace, noting that shipments will now pass through Georgia, facilitating regional trade.

Armenia's Prime Minister's spokeswoman praised the move as crucial for regional cooperation and trust. The resolution of the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh and a U.S.-brokered peace deal are predicted to boost the South Caucasus's role as a vital transit corridor, potentially transforming the region's economic landscape.

(With inputs from agencies.)