Marta Kos: Peace in South Caucasus to allow trade routes to be restored - EXCLUSIVE

Progress in the peace settlement between Azerbaijan and Armenia is changing the political and economic landscape of the region, EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos told Report.

According to the European Commissioner, who recently returned from a regional tour, for the first time in decades, the region has a real opportunity to unlock trade and transport routes connecting Europe and Asia.

"Countries from Europe to the borders of China recognise the importance of this moment. They are all here in Luxembourg today. This is a first," Kos emphasized.

A ministerial meeting on regional security and interregional connectivity is taking place in Luxembourg today, with Azerbaijan represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Yalchin Rafiyev.

The European Commissioner noted that EU member states intend to create a new connectivity infrastructure to give themselves greater freedom of action and greater opportunities for trade, choice of energy sources, and digital data transmission methods.

This will mean greater independence for everyone along this route, she added.

"Our work is a contribution to peace. Concrete cooperation, interlinked markets and connected societies can cement long-term stability and prosperity in the South Caucasus.

The meeting today is a first step. It will be followed by an investment forum including with the United States in November," she said.