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Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan reiterated on Thursday that there can be no so-called ‘Zangezur Corridor’ on Armenian territory.
Asked to comment on Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s continued use of the term ‘Zangezur Corridor’ despite Yerevan’s objections, Pashinyan said that only the Crossroads of Peace and TRIPP projects can exist on Armenian territory.
“The readout from both sides after the Copenhagen meeting states that connectivity was discussed, specifically the TRIPP project through the territory of the Republic of Armenia. Hence, both sides have acknowledged that the TRIPP project lies within the territory of the Republic of Armenia,” Pashinyan said, referring to his meeting with President Aliyev during the European Political Community Summit in Copenhagen earlier this month. "After the Copenhagen statement, I no longer see the need to focus on that topic. It is no longer relevant."
The Prime Minister emphasized that, regardless of announcements, what is recorded in writing must be taken as the basis.
“I am satisfied with the discussions in Copenhagen and the work being done on institutionalizing peace. It is an indisputable fact that peace has been established between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This is a reality—one that is even difficult to overlook,” Nikol Pashinyan said.
The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) is a connectivity project in Armenia envisaged under the U.S.-brokered Armenian-Azerbaijani joint declaration signed in Washington, D.C. The project is expected to unlock strategic economic opportunities, creating long-term benefits by promoting infrastructure investment and enhancing regional connectivity.
Speaking about regional connectivity, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has widely used the term "Zangezur Corridor" to refer to the opening of the transport links. Yerevan has objected to that term because the word “corridor” could imply extraterritoriality, which current arrangements do not and cannot envision. PM Pashinyan has insisted that the connectivity projects through Armenia be called Crossroads of Peace and TRIPP, as stipulated in the U.S.-brokered agreements.
Pashinyan also said that by saying "Zangezur Corridor" the Azerbaijani leader can refer to Horadiz-Zangelan road, which is in Azerbaijani territory.