Azerbaijan Sheds Light on Zangezur Corridor Plans Amidst Regional Complexities

Baku/26.10.23/Turan: In a recent interview with Politico, Hikmet Hajiyev, the Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan for Foreign Relations, clarified his country's stance on the contentious issue of the Zangezur corridor, stating that Azerbaijan has no intention of annexing the region to establish a direct corridor to Nakhchivan. Mr. Hajiyev explained, "This route has lost its attractiveness for us. We can implement a project with Iran. The only thing on our agenda is the construction of transport links within the framework of bilateral cooperation. This issue is still under consideration, but the Armenian side will need to demonstrate that it is really interested in this."

The revelation comes amidst ongoing negotiations and shifting dynamics in the South Caucasus region. Politico reports that Baku and Tehran have reached an agreement to construct a road through Iran, suggesting that the Zangezur corridor may not be the sole solution for Azerbaijan's connectivity needs.

Political commentator Ilham Ismail, in program "Difficult Question," shed light on the evolving situation surrounding the Zangezur corridor. He recalled Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's proposal made two months ago, suggesting that if Yerevan refuses to cooperate on the Zangezur corridor project, Azerbaijan could move forward with Iran's involvement, bypassing Armenia entirely.

"Armenia's rhetoric regarding the Zangezur corridor has significantly softened since Erdogan's proposal," noted Ismail. "The accusations against Azerbaijan stopped, and it became clear that this is not just an Azerbaijani-Armenian issue, but largely an Armenian-Russian matter, possibly with Iranian implications."

Ismail highlighted a key point of contention related to Article 9 of the trilateral agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh, signed in November 2020. This article calls for the unblocking of all economic and transport links in the region, including those between the western regions of Azerbaijan and the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, with oversight by Russian Border Service bodies. Armenia, however, opposes the idea of an extraterritorial Zangezur corridor, meaning it would not be controlled by Yerevan.

"The extraterritoriality of the corridor was advantageous for Azerbaijan, as it allowed for free transportation," acknowledged Ismail. "But Armenia firmly rejected this principle. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that Armenia is open to facilitating communications for Azerbaijan and Turkey but is against third-party control over them."

Ismail argued that the internationally accepted practice of the owner of the territory ensuring the safety and control of transport communications aligns with the interests of countries in the region, including Azerbaijan. From a political standpoint, Ismail posited that Armenia's control over communications in Zangezur may even be more beneficial to Azerbaijan.

Regarding Hikmet Hajiyev's statement that the Zangezur route has lost its appeal for Azerbaijan and that the country is considering a project with Iran, Ismail characterized this move as a diplomatic maneuver in the ongoing negotiations.

As the complex geopolitical puzzle surrounding the Zangezur corridor continues to evolve, the region remains a focal point for diplomacy and cooperation. The future of transportation links and regional stability hinges on the ability of the parties involved to find common ground and forge mutually beneficial solutions.