A peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan may end the long-term conflict, reduce Russia's influence in the region, and open a new trade corridor from Central Asia to Türkiye, James O'Brien, Assistant to the US Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, who is on a visit to Yerevan told Radio Liberty, APA reports.
"Therefore, the United States encourages the two South Caucasus states to finalize such an agreement in the coming weeks, months," he underlined.
James O'Brien highlighted that a new trade corridor from Central Asia can be realized only as a result of the signing of a peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia: "In our opinion, there is an opportunity that appears every few generations to build a trade corridor from Central Asia to the Mediterranean Sea. This can only be possible if there is peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. This will create new industries along the entire corridor. It can happen now. A few years from now, it may not be as important as it is now... So now is the time to do it."
Mr. James O'Brien noted that this trade corridor will be an addition to the existing transport links between the territory of Azerbaijan and Central Asia to the Black Sea coast of Georgia.