The opening of the Zangezur corridor is inevitable

Baku/18.05.21/Turan: Acting Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at the May 17 session of the Security Council that Yerevan will not discuss the issue of the Zangezur corridor through Armenia with Baku.

On May 10, during his visit to Nakhchivan, President Ilham Aliyev said that the only thing that separates Zangilan from Nakhchivan is the 40-kilometer Zangezur corridor, which should and will be opened.

"As you know, it is mentioned in the joint statement of November 10. Since then, very serious steps have been taken in this direction at the working group meetings at the level of the deputy prime ministers of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia. I can say with confidence that the railway corridor will be opened. Let no one doubt it," he said.

Will the Zangezur corridor be opened? If Armenia refuses to open the corridor, what processes can be expected?

The leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia signed a joint statement on November 10 on the cessation of hostilities and cease-fire in Karabakh. According to paragraph 9 of the statement, the construction of new transport communications connecting the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and the western regions of Azerbaijan will be stipulated by agreement of the parties.

Member of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense, Security and Anti-Corruption Elman Mammadov told Turan that President Ilham Aliyev emphasized for the last time that there will be a corridor. Its existence is reflected in the documents signed by Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia on November 10, 2020 and January 11, 2021.

The parliamentarian believes that Nikol Pashinyan's statement about the Zangezur corridor is a statement for the domestic audience.

"This is another one of his crazy populist statements to the masses. After all, he has been making these populist statements since he came to the prime minister's office. As a result, the iron fist has spoken. Now he is still using these opportunities. This has something to do with the upcoming early parliamentary elections in Armenia," he said.

According to Mammadov, if the Armenian people can think and draw the right conclusions, they should want the development of the Zangezur corridor. Because the existence of this corridor will lead to a direct railway connection with Russia, which has supported them throughout history and protects them today.

"It's a very good thing for them. That is, they can conduct other communications through this corridor, get transit state status. They should think that the words they have spoken with such hostile intent have not benefited them yet and will not benefit them in the future," he said.

He stressed that if Armenia did not agree to open the corridor, Azerbaijan would open it.

"As Mr. President said, the iron fist is in place. We will open this 40-kilometer road. Russia, Turkey, Iran, the United States and Armenia have very serious strategic interests here," Mammadov said.

Political scientist Arastun Orujlu said it is no coincidence that the controversy over the Zangezur corridor is heating up these days.

He believes that it is related to the upcoming elections in Armenia, and Russia is trying by all means to remove Pashinyan.

"On the one hand, a coalition is formed against him, but Russian experts see that Pashinian's support is still strong, and suddenly the corridor comes to mind. Because to compromise on this corridor is a defeat for Pashinyan. Yes, Pashinyan signed the famous November 10 statement about the corridor, but the question arises: why didn't he remember the corridor three months ago?" he said.

According to the expert, Russia is interested in this issue.

"Note that the issue of the corridor came sharply back on the agenda after Lavrov's visit. And Azerbaijan seems to have agreed with Russia on this issue, so Pashinyan lost the election," he said.

According to Orujlu, Azerbaijan received certain guarantees from Russia.

"Ilham Aliyev is confident that the corridor will be opened and, if necessary, by force. If Azerbaijan carries out a military intervention in Zangezur, according to the terms of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the organization must stand up for Armenia. Apparently, Ilham Aliyev was assured by Russia that this will not happen. In other words, if necessary, Azerbaijan may intervene in Zangezur, in which case Pashinyan will lose the elections," the expert said.

The politologist noted that although the Zangezur corridor is important for Azerbaijan, it is primarily important for Russia because it will control this corridor.

"Pashinyan will resist out of his last strength. The corridor will most likely not open, and compromise options will be found. In any case, there will be no war," Orujlu said.-0-