Armenia has not made any promises to anyone. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated this in an interview to Public Television, and referring to the Turkish president's statement about the "Zangezur corridor."
"As far as I have read the Turkish president's statement, it talks about the following; it talks about Armenia's promise. Let's record that Armenia has not made any promises to anyone within the framework of the terminology being used by Turkey and Azerbaijan. There is a subtlety here, it is very important how we perceive that terminology because we in Armenia, as well as the public in general, perceives this terminology as a certain territorial demand for Armenia and a demand for an extraterritorial corridor. Therefore, we have not made any promises to anyone with such terminology and deduction. I know that when there are talks between the representatives of Armenia and Turkey, it is said that this corridor terminology that you use is not acceptable for us. They say: ‘How is it not acceptable? You accepted the tripartite statement.’ We say: ‘There is no such thing written in the tripartite statement, open [it], look; when it is written, you will show us.’ In the global world in general, the word ‘corridor’ is introduced as a common term for communication channels. In the tripartite statement, it has a slightly different logic because there is the Lachin corridor there, which, according to the logic of the statement, contains a certain content of extraterritoriality or control by a third force. In addition, the Lachin corridor is not just a road; it is a 5km strip of territory under the control of a third party [i.e. Russia]," the Armenian premier said.
Pashinyan stressed that Armenia declares that it is ready and interested in opening regional communications.
"That is, are we ready to open the roads for Azerbaijan and Turkey? Yes, we are ready. And as it has been recorded, this should happen on the basis of Armenia's sovereignty, jurisdiction, on the basis of the principle of equality and reciprocity. This means that no third power should have control over any territory of Armenia. When crossing Armenia’s border, the border guard services, the customs services of Armenia must operate. We are told that in the tripartite statement it is written that security should be ensured by Russia; I say that such a thing is not written," he said.
To the program host's remark that an Azerbaijani official said that if there will be no corridor, how will security be ensured, and a Russian official said that if the word “corridor” offends so much, they can use the word “road,” Pashinyan said that there is no problem.
"In case of passing by railway, the issue of [Armenia’s] Meghri [city] is unobjectionable because we have not had a railway anywhere else (…). But on the other hand, we have no problem with restoring the Meghri railway; on the contrary, we are interested because it means lifting the blockade of Armenia, and peace, by and large," he added.
Pashinyan noted that as for a motorway passing through the same section, international experts say that it is impractical for both a motorway and a railway to pass through the same place, but this is a technical issue.
The Armenian PM emphasized that the opening of roads is beneficial to Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey.
"Yes, this can become the most serious node of peace in the region. And we say that if these ambiguities are removed, there is no problem here either," Pashinyan said.
