Charles Michel lauds Azerbaijan's decision to lift restrictions on cargo transit to Armenia

Azerbaijan's decision to lift all restrictions on cargo transit to Armenia is a very important step, former President of the European Council Charles Michel said in an interview with Report.

He noted that such progress would have been difficult to imagine only a few months or years ago.

"But today, this decision has already been implemented – it is a real and concrete fact. I understand that there are still certain challenges and sensitive issues, and we must be aware of them. However, the adoption of such decisions, in my view, is an encouraging signal. My hope is that in the coming months, both sides will make further efforts in this direction, making the path of peace irreversible," Michel said.

During a state visit to Kazakhstan on October 21, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced that all restrictions on cargo transit to Armenia - in place since Armenia occupied Azerbaijani territories back in the early 1990s - had been lifted.

The head of state added that the first such transit shipment was Kazakh grain being transported to Armenia.

Read the full interview with Carles Michel here.