Alternative to Lachin Corridor gives refugees hope to return to Karabakh

The construction by Azerbaijan of a road bypassing the Lachin Corridor will contribute to the return of Azerbaijani refugees to Nagorno-Karabakh; the demining of territories and the development of the region. Besides, the road will help improving relations between the Armenian and Azerbaijani residents, Karabakh refugees believe.

Rafael Ibragimov, a refugee from the city of Shusha, who lives in Baku, believes that the new road via Lachin is being built both for the Armenian and Azerbaijani population. The Armenian citizens will make use of it without entering Lachin, while Azerbaijanis will be able to stay within the Lachin District, he has suggested.

"We need Russian peacemakers to leave Lachin; and the road is being built for this," Mr Ibragimov has added.

Khikmet Sabiroglu, a journalist and a native of Shusha, treats the new road construction via Lachin as the right decision. The main thing for Azerbaijan is to control the entry into Nagorno-Karabakh, he has stated.

Farkhad Mamedov, a refugee from Agdam, is sure that the construction of a road via Lachin will speed up the return of Azerbaijani forced migrants to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Also, the new road, like the old ones, will be a factor of rapprochement between residents of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Mr Mamedov has pointed out that a year and a half had passed since the transition of the Agdam District under Azerbaijan's control, but almost no refugees have returned to their homes.

Ilkham Gakhraman, a refugee from Lachin, believes that the construction of the road via Lachin will promote the transition of the territories of Karabakh under Azerbaijan's control.