Baku Says ‘Corridor’ Through Armenia Should be Included in Peace Treaty

A military post along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border


An Azerbaijani official said Wednesday that creating a land corridor through Armenia will provide unimpeded access to Nakhichevan and pointed out that for Baku this was one of the “main directions” of peace talks with Armenia.

Elchin Amirbekov, an Azerbaijani presidential envoy for special assignments, said in an interview with the Estonian television that restoring transport links between Armenia and Azerbaijan was an important facet of the peace process between the two countries.

Within that context, Amirbekov said Baku’s initiative to “restore the Zangazur [(Zangezur)] corridor so that Azerbaijani citizens living in the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, or in the main part of the country, have unhindered land communication” was of crucial importance.

“The main direction of the negotiations is the agreement on the text of the peace agreement. It notes all the main parameters of future peace, including the restoration of communications. In addition to the main direction, there are two more: the opening of communications, as well as the delimitation and the subsequent demarcation of the state border between Azerbaijan and Armenia,” said Amirbekov.

“It’s about a 42-kilometer railway line, which, unfortunately, was destroyed as a result of the conflict. It’s not just about building the missing section. By the way, this work is almost finished by us. I mean the Horadiz-Agbend section. Unfortunately, the Armenian side has not even started working on the technical rationalization of this project,” added the Azerbaijani official.

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS