YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan is seemingly not interested in the Crossroads of Peace project proposed by Armenia because Baku is implementing the project on opening connections with Iran, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said in response to a question from the public.

He was asked whether there are guarantees that Armenia itself will carry out customs and border control on its territory in the event of the Crossroads of Peace project being realized.

Pashinyan stressed that one of the principles of the Crossroads of Peace project is that each country will carry out customs and border control on its territory through its institutions. 

“This is the proposal we are making to our international partners, including Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Georgia. And Azerbaijan’s first reaction is the following, that they, it seems, are no longer interested in this project, because they are carrying out that connectivity project with Iran. We are absolutely not against that. But that’s our proposal. In case of accepting our proposal the project will be realized,” the PM said.

The citizen asking the question pointed out that there are Russian border guards in Armenia’s Zvartnots airport. Pashinyan said this is another matter, which has a history. “But our policy is that the level of Armenia’s sovereignty must steadily increase also institutionally. And the Crossroads of Peace is one of those cases,” he said.

The Crossroads of Peace project is about creating new infrastructures or improving the scope and quality of the existing ones. Armenia is ready to establish five checkpoints on the Armenia-Azerbaijan borders for road infrastructures including in Kayan, Sotk, near Karahunj, near Angeghakot , and Yeraskh.

Also, to establish two checkpoints on the Armenia-Turkiye border in Akhurik and Margara for road infrastructures.

Armenia is prepared to ensure communications between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkiye, by restoring four railway sections in the territory of the Republic of Armenia. Armenia is ready to restore the Nrnadzor-Agarak railway section and to establish checkpoints near the borders, to restore the railway section from Yeraskh to the border of Nakhchivan and to establish a checkpoint in Yeraskh, to restore the depleted parts of the railway from Gyumri to the border of Turkiye and to establish a checkpoint in Akhurik. Also, Armenia is prepared to restore the depleted parts of railway from Hrazdan to Kayan and to establish a checkpoint in Kayan. This will create new links between all the countries of the region. The principles of the Crossroads of Peace are: all infrastructures including roads, railways, airways, pipelines, cables and power lines operate under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the countries through which they pass; each country, through its state institutions, in its territory ensures border control, customs control and security of the infrastructures, including the passage through its territory of vehicles, cargo and people; All infrastructures can be used for both international and domestic transportation; countries use all the infrastructures on the basis of reciprocity and equality, and in accordance with these principles border and customs controls can be facilitated through mutual consent and agreement. As missing sections of railways and roads are restored and infrastructures unlocked, it will become possible to establish a seamless connection between the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea and the Mediterranean Sea via a consolidated, regional railway network and via the North-South and East-West roads. The Government of the Republic of Armenia reaffirms its commitment to contribute its share to the region’s peace and stability, and to make practical measures to build the Crossroads of Peace