One of the most important effects of the Russia-Ukraine war is the activation of the Central Asia-Caucasus line with a new motivation. After Russia’s isolation and war, a possible new regional fortification target leads these countries to an alternative and balancing project generation. Perhaps this will be one of the most fragile points of the war for Russia.
The last one is the comprehensive agreement signed between Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan. Only in the last five years, the trade volume between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan has increased approximately seven times. The Ministry of Energy of the two countries determined their strategic goals until the end of 2023 with this agreement signed on 29 August. According to the agreement, which includes both the extraction of new reserves and the development of joint projects in oil, gas and renewable energy, as well as cooperation on infrastructure, the insufficient electricity infrastructure of Uzbekistan will also be supported.
In these last few months, Uzbekistan has also started to show its interest in Karabakh. “Uzbekistan is interested in restoring the Zangezur corridor, which can provide the shortest land route from Asia to Europe,” said Vladimir Norov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan, at the “Uzbekistan – Azerbaijan – Turkey” summit last month. he said.
In fact, the countries of the region show their desire to develop new transportation corridors at every opportunity in order to expand their limited trade opportunities.
In this context, the use of the transit potential of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, apart from the Zangezur Corridor, is also of great importance for Uzbekistan.
By the way, considering that the signing ceremony of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway construction project will be held at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit on September 15-16, we are talking about getting a share of a transportation/trade pie of approximately 700 billion dollars. Kyrgyzstan seems determined to start this project in the fall. However, it is not clear exactly how the $ 8 billion cost will be shared.
The Zangezur corridor, which Central Asian countries are now more interested in, will also connect Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan, that is, Turkey, without interruption. Thus, both the Karabakh field will revive the economy in the region and the middle corridor will be shaped centered on the Turkish World.
The Zangezur Corridor will make a significant contribution to the access of Central Asian countries to new markets and logistics centers. When the road constructions in the inner parts of Karabakh are completed, the Zangezur corridor will be diversified by opening to side routes, apart from the main route. Among these routes are the 101,9 km highway between Fuzuli and Shusha, the 123 km Horadiz-Gabriel-Zangilan-Aghband road, the 70 km Khudaferin-Gubadli-Lachin road, as well as the Kelbecer-Lachin road and the Berda-Ağdam road.
What is important now is determination on these issues and the continuation of the ground of reconciliation between the Turkish World. Because it is never easy to reach these goals. On the one hand, the Russian-Iranian factor, on the other hand, is that the Turkish World will reach the field of activity. To whom is it a threat?
It should not be forgotten that the powers that did not want the revival of the Turkish line, similarly in history, generally disrupted this process from among themselves and with artificial arguments.