Pashinyan rules out extraterritorial corridor for Azerbaijan, reiterates readiness to open roads within sovereignty

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS. Armenia is ready for, and interested in, the opening of regional connections, however any aspiration or statement that would question Armenia’s sovereignty and jurisdiction is a red line for the Armenian government, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said.

Pashinyan made the statement in response to a question by Member of Parliament Arusyak Julhakyan (Civil Contract) regarding the Turkish transport minister’s recent statement on the so-called ‘Zangezur corridor.’

The Prime Minister said that Armenia is in favor of the restoration of the Horadiz-Meghri-Ordubad-Yeraskh railway because it is a very important project for the country.

“Are we against the opening of the region’s transport routes? No, we are in favor of Nakhijevan and Azerbaijan’s western regions having connection through Armenia’s territory just like Azerbaijan and Turkey through Armenia’s territory. Are we against regional gas pipelines, oil pipelines and electricity transmission lines passing through Armenia’s territory? No, we are not against this, on the contrary, we are interested in that projects. And this all should take place within Armenia’s sovereignty and jurisdiction, just like within other countries’ sovereignty and jurisdiction. Not only are we in favor of these projects, we ourselves are interested in the realization of these projects. Any statement questioning the sovereignty or jurisdiction of the Republic of Armenia is unacceptable for us. Not only is this unacceptable, this is a red line for us,” Pashinyan said. He said that the connections must function under Armenia’s sovereignty and jurisdiction and thus bring major revenue to Armenia.

Pashinyan reminded that the 9 November 2020 trilateral statement envisages only one corridor, with certain limited sovereignty, which is the Lachin Corridor. The document does not envisage any corridor through Armenia’s territory.

He said that certain circles in Azerbaijan, being aware of the sensitive nature of the term corridor in the context of the trilateral agreement, are using incorrect contexts to develop aspirations against Armenia’s territorial integrity. “In this regard it is not only unacceptable for us, but also a red line,” he said.

Armenia is ready to implement the work in the direction of opening connections as soon as possible, he added.

“I’d like to remind you that for a long time now a bill has been in circulation in the agenda of the Armenian government on opening three checkpoints on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border, one on the border with Nakhijevan, two on the border with Azerbaijan’s western regions. They want a road? We also want a road and we are ready to open those roads within the sovereignty, jurisdiction and laws of Armenia,” Pashinyan said.