Pashinyan considered the transit issue resolved: It remains only for Aliyev to say yes

The opening of transport communications in the South Caucasus, including the route from the western regions of Azerbaijan through the territory of Armenia to Nakhichevan and in the opposite direction, has been fully prepared and requires only the consent of Baku. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan wrote about this in his article published last Tuesday on the website of the state agency "Armenpress".

According to him, all roads of Armenia are open for transit needs of Azerbaijan and Yerevan guarantees the safety of their use by cargo carriers from the neighboring republic. At the same time, Pashinyan pointed out that Azerbaijan has not yet unblocked any transport or other economic communications for Armenia.

"Today, not a single transport or economic communication in Azerbaijan is open to Armenia or to those who pass through Armenia, not a single road, not a single railway, not a single pipeline, not a single power line, not a single cable," the prime minister listed.

He recalled that back in 2022, the Armenian government submitted a draft decision on the opening of three border points on the border with Azerbaijan.

"These decisions were not taken only because of the position and refusal of Azerbaijan and can be taken by the Government of the Republic of Armenia within one to two weeks. Of course, there are no infrastructures for entry to Nakhichevan and they must be built, but this can also be done fairly quickly. However, now, from the point of view of the readiness of the physical infrastructure, for example, trucks can enter the territory of the Republic of Armenia via the Lachin section (Lachin district of Azerbaijan. — Ed.) — Kornidzor (Syunik region of Armenia. — Ed.) through the checkpoint "Kornidzor", drive along our roads to the Armenian-Turkish border and enter Turkey through the Margara checkpoint. The same goes in the opposite direction. The physical infrastructure necessary for such transit cargo transportation is ready right now, it remains to make a de jure decision. We are ready to make this decision if there is interest from Azerbaijan and Turkey," the prime minister stressed.

The author of the article further reassured his fellow citizens that Armenia has never assumed any obligations, either written or oral, that would limit its sovereignty, jurisdiction or territorial integrity, including in the matter of laying communications from Azerbaijan to Nakhichevan. According to him, Armenia has never agreed and "has not even hinted that it can agree to any restriction of its sovereignty, jurisdiction or territorial integrity, including on the issue of communication from Western Azerbaijan to the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic through the territory of the Republic of Armenia."

Yerevan did not agree to the transfer of security functions (including international or Azerbaijani passenger and cargo transportation) to another country, follows from Pashinyan's argument. Thus, the head of the government of the Transcaucasian Republic once again presented his position on paragraph 9 of the statement of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia dated November 9, 2020. According to this provision of the trilateral document that stopped the 44-day war in Karabakh:

"All economic and transport links in the region are being unblocked. The Republic of Armenia guarantees the safety of transport communication between the western regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic in order to organize the unhindered movement of citizens, vehicles and cargo in both directions. Traffic control is carried out by the Border Guard Service of the FSB of Russia."

The Armenian leadership sees in the 9th paragraph of the trilateral agreement the confirmation of its sovereignty over its own territories, since Yerevan provides the fixed security guarantees regarding cross-border transport communications. As for the control of the "corridor" by the forces of the Border Service of the FSB of Russia, the Armenian authorities claim that such control does not necessarily have to be expressed in the presence of Russian border guards "on the ground." At the same time, the Pashinyan government does not explain how it is possible to control something at all without being physically at the place of application of controlling functions.

In 2022, Yerevan offered Baku to outsource border and customs control to an international specialized organization on a reciprocal basis, but Azerbaijan refused. In addition, Baku did not respond to Armenia's proposal to restore the railway connection operating during the Soviet era along the Zangelan — Meghri—Ordubad and Yeraskh — Ordubad — Meghri.

"We have proposed in writing an option that does not belittle the sovereignty, jurisdiction and territorial integrity of any of the parties. If Baku's concern is to ensure reliable transportation of goods to and from Nakhichevan Nakhichevan, then this issue has been resolved. It only remains for Azerbaijan to say yes," Pashinyan believes.

He added that it will take some time for the construction of the Nrnadzor—Karchevan railway line in Armenia, as well as for the construction of a small section of the railway in the Yeraskh—Nakhichevan area, "but this is necessary for the Armenia—Armenia and Azerbaijan—Turkey railway communication, and this work can be completed in a short time."

Armenia is ready to ensure the transit of pipelines, power lines and cables from Azerbaijan to Nakhichevan on the same principle.

"It is unclear why these proposals are rejected by Azerbaijan. I hope not in order to create a false pretext for escalation," said the leader of the Velvet Revolution of 2018.

Baku has been insisting in recent years that it should have an unhindered land connection with Nakhichevan through the Armenian Syunik — without any customs and border control. At the same time, the Azerbaijani side introduced the concept of the "Zangezur Corridor" into circulation, although the trilateral statement of November 9, 2020 does not contain such terminology. The document signed by Vladimir Putin, Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan mentions only the Lachin corridor. After the complete exodus of the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh to Armenia in September 2023, the Lachin corridor ceased to exist.

In response to Baku's claims regarding the provision of the "Zangezur Corridor" to it in an "unhindered" mode of use, Yerevan constantly points out that the "corridor logic" of negotiating the opening of communication routes in the region is unacceptable for the Armenian side. Armenia insists that any transport route should be under the jurisdiction of the country through which it passes and operate on the principles of equality and reciprocity.

Azerbaijan, in turn, warns that if Armenia does not provide it with a way to Nakhichevan, it will be provided through the territory of Iran. And then Yerevan will lose the opportunity to use the transport routes passing through Azerbaijani territory, primarily the railway access to Russia, its largest trade and economic partner.

In this regard, Pashinyan indicates that Armenia is ready to provide the same route on the same legal terms that Iran offers.

"In response, Azerbaijan says that transit should be "unhindered." Does this mean that he passes through Iran with obstacles? After all, we say that we are ready to provide the same transit on the same legal terms. Based on the principle of reciprocity, we are ready to make some simplifications of transit procedures and the introduction of automated mechanisms," the head of the Armenian Cabinet of Ministers writes.

So why does Azerbaijan reject our constructive proposals, he asks rhetorically.

"My confidence is very clear: the opening of all regional economic and transport communications, including from Western Azerbaijan to the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic through the territory of the Republic of Armenia and back, from Meghri to The transit of the Republic of Armenia through the territory of Azerbaijan (Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic) and vice versa is fully ready and only the consent of Azerbaijan is needed for its implementation," Pashinyan concludes.

In recent years, the Armenian government has made various proposals to Azerbaijani counter-partners in the hope of reaching an agreement, ranging from delegating verification functions to a private foreign company in carrying out through transportation through Armenian territory and ending with providing Baku with a simplified regime for the movement of goods and movement of individuals. Earlier, Pashinyan announced that he had sent "very specific" proposals to the Azerbaijani side to unblock regional communications. The content of these initiatives has not yet been disclosed by Yerevan.

As can be understood from the latest statements of top officials of Armenia, in the matter of unblocking transport and other communications in Transcaucasia Yerevan is looking for support from Turkey. And not only in this matter. If we look at the problem from a broader "viewing angle", then the Armenian Prime Minister last year during his meeting with the Turkish president on September 24 in New York asked for Ankara's assistance in signing a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacts very positively to such appeals from Nikol Pashinyan, as Yerevan's recognition of Ankara's special role in the region is visible behind this.

Turkey has stepped up efforts to achieve prosperity and stability in the South Caucasus, Erdogan said on March 3 at a meeting with representatives of the Turkish diplomatic corps. Referring to the ongoing process of normalization of relations with Armenia, the Turkish President noted that he was looking forward to reaching an agreement that would ensure long-term peace between the two Transcaucasian republics.

At the end of February in A meeting of Armenian and Turkish parliamentarians was held in Vienna. Yerevan reported that issues of normalization of relations between the two countries were discussed, and the importance of unblocking regional roads and other infrastructure as soon as possible, as well as restoring and developing economic ties were emphasized. The Turkish side assessed the meeting as effective.

Meanwhile, serious obstacles have been and remain around the opening of borders for the movement of people and cargo transportation, including transit. Yerevan considers Baku's unconstructive position to be the main one, in its understanding. This, in addition to Pashinyan's "communication" article on the pages of the "Armenpress" agency, was pointed out by statements made by the Chairman of the National Assembly of Armenia Alain Simonyan the day before.

While talking to journalists, he drew attention to the fact that Armenian-Turkish relations "have been taken hostage by Azerbaijan, and this is very bad." According to the speaker of the Armenian parliament, Baku is trying in every possible way to influence the process of normalization of relations between Yerevan and Ankara. In this regard, Simonyan expressed hope that the Turkish side also realizes how bad it is. Nevertheless, Armenia, as the head of the legislative body of the republic emphasized, will continue to work with Turkey to normalize bilateral relations.