Prime Minister Pashinyan explains why Azerbaijan is concerned over Crossroads of Peace project

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 12, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan is concerned about the Crossroads of Peace project because the project could bring tens of billions in benefits to Armenia, Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan has said.

“In my impression, Azerbaijan is concerned over the Crossroads of Peace project because this project can bring tens of billions in benefits to Armenia,” Pashinyan said at a conference on the Crossroads of Peace project. 

He said this could potentially bring two more concerns for Azerbaijan. 

“First, if Azerbaijan really thinks that in the strategic prospect Armenia has aggressive plans against Azerbaijan, then this could create a perception that these tens of billions of dollars could be used against Azerbaijan. But there is also the contrary, if Azerbaijan has aggressive intentions against Armenia, this can concern Azerbaijan, that these tens of billions of dollars could be used to increase Armenia’s defensibility, and Azerbaijan can have problems in implementing its aggressive plans against Armenia,” Pashinyan explained.

If Azerbaijan’s deep concern is the first mentioned one, then it can be dispelled, he added. Pashinyan said that Armenia, with its strategic policies on the highest level, has recorded that it doesn’t have aggressive plans against Azerbaijan or any other country. “We recognize the territorial integrity of all our neighbors. We are ready to assume de jure obligations regarding this. Furthermore, Armenia has recorded that it doesn’t seek to militarily return its own territories that are currently under occupation, because the document we’ve signed with Azerbaijan in the delimitation process gives every chance for the delimitation process to take place on legal, lawful basis. Meaning, we are creating all guarantees and we will continue this trajectory, so that not only will none of our neighbors have doubts about the non-existence of aggressive intentions, but also so that de jure mandatory guarantees are in place regarding the nonengagement of aggressive policies by our country,” Pashinyan said.