Russian deputy PM: No issue on "extraterritorial corridor” discussed

“The trilateral working group of deputy prime ministers cannot work in isolation from the developments taking place between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Each escalation on the border slows down the negotiation process.

Great work has been done in the format of the trilateral working group in less than two years. However, the opening or construction of roads is possible only if the parties clearly determine the legal regime for crossing the border between the countries. During the negotiations, a principle was developed, that is, “the sovereignty over the road is exercised by the country through the territory of which the road passes. This means that if the road passes through the territory of Armenia, it is the road of Armenia, if it passes through the territory of Azerbaijan, then it is the road of Azerbaijan. There is no “extraterritorial corridor” that would in any way violate the sovereignty of any of the parties, it does not exist and cannot exist,” he said in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

Overchuk said that the implementation of this principle means that border and passport control measures to enter the territory of Armenia from Azerbaijan through unblocked or newly built roads will be the same as, for example, when entering Armenia from Iran.

“Also, the passport control will be at the entry from Armenia to Azerbaijan. In addition, the issues of paying fees for the use of highways in accordance with the national legislation of the parties as well as ensuring the safety of the movement of citizens, vehicles and cargos of one country passing through the territory of another country are discussed,” he said.