Baku, SAEDNEWS: The two sides exchanged views about transportation on the Goris-Gafan highway. The road in question connects Goris and Kapan, the two major towns of southern Armenia. It also crosses through several small slices of Azerbaijani-controlled territory, and Baku has gradually been exercising its newly won sovereignty over that territory after retaking it from Armenia as a result of last year’s war.
Earlier this year it first set up border guard posts, flags, and signs reading “Welcome to Azerbaijan” on its sections. Then, in late August, it blocked the road for nearly 48 hours.
One Iranian driver, citing his fellow truckers stuck in southern Armenia, told RFE/RL on September 13: “They say the Azerbaijanis demand $120 from every truck for using the road.” Another driver told Armenia’s Fifth Channel that they were being charged twice on the road (and used the figure of $130) – once as they traveled north through it and a second time as they returned south.
Iran, Tajikistan sign 8 documents in various fields
