Karabakh denies customs checkpoint reports on corridor to Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Security Council of Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh) on Tuesday, December 6 issued a statement, concerning conversations about opening a customs checkpoint on the road connecting Armenia to Karabakh, and revealed that the installation of scanning systems has been discussed instead.

Media reports suggested earlier that the Russian peacekeeping contingent deployed in the area has agreed to provide a customs checkpoint to the Azerbaijani side

“In order to prevent the transfer of objects prohibited by the peacekeeping troops, the Russian peacekeepers have considered the possibility of installing an X-ray scanner at the base No. 1 of the Lachin Corridor for inspecting incoming vehicles,” the Security Council said.

“Cargo control is set to be carried out by the specialists of the peacekeeping forces.”

The National Security Service of Artsakh issued a statement too, maintaining that reports about installing an Azerbaijani checkpoint in the corridor connecting Artsakh to Armenia are not true.

According to the Armenian side, the command of the Russian peacekeeping contingent will make a statement of their own.

The announcements come on the heels of an incident, which involved a group of Azerbaijanis blocking the highway connecting Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh and citing "environmental reasons". The road was unblocked after three hours of negotiations with the Karabakh authorities and the Russian peacekeeping mission.