Zangazur Corridor - West agrees with Azerbaijan's rightful position

Azerbaijani lands have been liberated from occupation and the conflict is over. The territory of Azerbaijan is no longer a topic of discussion. It also boils down to the fact that there is no return to the discussion of fictitious expressions such as "the status of Karabakh". Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with the Spanish El Pais newspaper: “There is no return to any discussions on the status of Karabakh, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is over. Azerbaijan's position is clear. We want peace, we do not want war."

Currently, the daily topic on the regional situation has been modified. The demarcation and delimitation of the state border between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the signing of a peace agreement between the parties, bilateral and multilateral cooperation are already being discussed. At this stage, one of the daily issues pertaining to the region is the opening of the Zangazur corridor. This issue is reflected in Article 9 of the joint statement, signed by the presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia and the prime minister of Armenia on November 10, 2020: “All economic and transport links in the region shall be restored. The Republic of Armenia guarantees the safety of transport links between the western regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in order to organize an unimpeded movement of citizens, vehicles and goods in both directions. Control over transport shall be exercised by the bodies of the Border Guard Service of the Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia. By agreement of the Parties, the construction of new transport communications linking the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic with the western regions of Azerbaijan shall be ensured.”

Armenia must fulfill its obligations under this article. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev also discussed this issue at a meeting with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels. The president said that the legal regime of the Zangazur corridor should be the same as that of the Lachin corridor. The president stressed that Azerbaijan provides security and unrestricted access to the relations between Karabakh and Armenia: “Armenia must ensure the same unimpeded access and security for relations between Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. Thus, there is no customs control in the Lachin corridor today. Therefore, there shouldn't be customs control in the Zangazur corridor either. If Armenia insists on customs control on cargo and people, then we will insist on the same in the Lachin corridor. Azerbaijan has made concessions to Armenia through the Lachin corridor, taking into account its kinship ties. That is, only Armenians in Armenia, Khankandi, and surrounding areas of Azerbaijan benefit from this corridor.

“The function and benefits of the Zangazur corridor are bigger. It creates ample opportunities for regional and global cooperation. Not only Azerbaijan, but also Armenia will benefit from this corridor. In other words, Armenia will have the opportunity to take advantage of both corridors. However, in exchange for these concessions, Armenia is breaking the rules of the game intentionally. President Ilham Aliyev noted that progress in resolving the issue was uneasy. The president said that an agreement had been reached on the construction of a railway link from Azerbaijan to the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through Armenia, as well as an agreement on the construction of a highway. However, the exact route of the highway has not yet been identified. This is a topic for future discussions."

As a result of the trilateral meeting of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, European Council President Charles Michel, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, an agreement has been reached on the construction of a railway along the Zangazur corridor. The agreement reached on the opening of the Zangazur corridor has proved Azerbaijan’s rightfulness. Thus, Azerbaijan has proved to be a leading state in the South Caucasus, supporting cooperation, peace and security by taking initiatives in this direction. This can be considered another example of the special weight of Azerbaijan in the region. By doing so, official Baku has demonstrated that it is a reliable partner for the European Union, for the regional states, and others with interests in the region. It is possible that in the long run, NATO and the European Union will support the development of security and cooperation in the region through Azerbaijan. The [future] opening of the Zangazur corridor is also an important step in ensuring Azerbaijan's strategic security interests.

Thus, the European Union and NATO also agree with the new reality created by Azerbaijan in the region and the new directions of activities arising from this reality. Therefore, the Zangazur corridor can also connect the South Caucasus with the European Union.