Issue of so-called `Zangezur corridor` will not be resolved in  Armenia - expert

ArmInfo.The issue of the so-called "Zangezur corridor" will not be resolved in Armenia. This  was stated by Stanford University professor Artur Khachikyan in an interview with ArmInfo.

According to him, it is quite possible that this issue will be  resolved in favor of Turkey and Azerbaijan, since both Ankara and  Baku have very strong diplomatic positions in both Moscow and  Washington, which Yerevan practically does not have. "Armenia has  neither diplomatic ties nor weight in either Russia or the United  States. Therefore, it is quite possible that this issue will not be  resolved in our favor," the expert noted.

Answering the question about the threats to Armenia's Syunik region  that such a development of events entails, the expert added that the  region through which the corridor is to pass has long been under  threat.  "This may lead to us being forced to leave the region, and  its territory may be transferred to the informal control of  Azerbaijan and Turkey. The deployment of other forces there under  joint control, including with the participation of Iran, is also  possible. De jure, this will be the territory of Armenia, but de  facto, it will be under the control of others. One thing is clear:  this will be decided without our participation and not in our favor,  since we are, in fact, a bankrupt, failed state," Khachikyan said.

The expert emphasized that in order for a state to be considered  established, it is necessary to have an appropriate education system,  qualified personnel, elite, government officials, resources, economy,  and technology. "We have none of this," the Stanford University  professor summarized.

On February 12, at a briefing for journalists, the Chairman of the  National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Alen Simonyan once again  confirmed that the "Zangezur corridor" is unacceptable for Armenia  and remains a red line for the country's authorities.

Prior to this, RA Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated at a press  conference that Yerevan had received a verbal response from Baku to  the written proposal made in November regarding the unblocking of  communications. He noted that he considered it incorrect to disclose  Baku's response and "does not want to disclose the nuances until he  sees the likelihood of Azerbaijan accepting his proposals." Pashinyan  also stated that Armenia is ready to provide Azerbaijan with railway  communications for cargo transportation to Nakhchivan. "We made a  specific proposal to Azerbaijan, a decision that takes into account  both Armenia's position and Azerbaijan's position. We proposed that  there be railway cargo transportation from Azerbaijan to Nakhchivan  and back through the territory of Armenia, through Meghri, since the  restoration of the remaining sections of the railway with Azerbaijan  - I mean in Tavush - requires large investments. But according to the  same principle: from Yeraskh to Meghri through Nakhchivan," the  Armenian Prime Minister explained. Earlier, Azerbaijani President  Ilham Aliyev said that Armenia should not hinder the establishment of  direct land communication between the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic  and Azerbaijan. "Why should we travel to Nakhchivan, which is an  integral part of Azerbaijan, by other routes?  We must have a direct  connection, and this connection does not call into question the  sovereignty of Armenia," the Azerbaijani President emphasized.