Armenia confirms removal of Zangezur Corridor clause from peace agreement with Azerbaijan
Published: 8 August 2024 16:18
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia has confirmed that the clause on regional communications was removed from the draft peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan by mutual consent.
This confirmation came from Ani Badalyan, head of the press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry, on August 7.
This clause was related to the establishment of the Zangezur Corridor. The Zangezur Corridor is a project aimed at creating a direct land route connecting Azerbaijan to its exclave Nakhchivan through the Syunik province of Armenia, facilitating transportation and economic connectivity in the region. Since the Corridor would provide a direct connection from the Turkish territory to Azerbaijan, the project is also highly endorsed by Istanbul.
Earlier, Elchin Amirbeyov, the Azerbaijani President’s representative for special tasks, announced that the clause concerning the unblocking of communications was excluded from the agreement by mutual agreement, with discussions on the issue postponed to a later stage. According to Badalyan, the continuation of talks on opening communications remains a significant element of Armenia’s peace and economic development strategy, as outlined in the “Crossroads of the World” program, which emphasizes sovereignty, jurisdiction, reciprocity, and equality.
On July 25, Ani Badalyan stated that Armenia’s counter-proposals regarding the peace treaty are in preparation, and the country is ready to sign the agreement as soon as possible in line with the fundamental principles already presented.
In June, Armenia received the 10th package of proposals related to the draft peace treaty from Azerbaijan.
On July 20, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev mentioned that 80-90 percent of the peace agreement text had been agreed upon, noting that Armenia had accepted the removal of certain provisions and terminology related to Karabakh. However, he highlighted that two issues remain unresolved: Armenia’s response to Azerbaijan’s proposals and the joint application by both countries to the OSCE to dissolve the Minsk Group, which has been inactive for some time.
Following the war in Karabakh in 2020, Azerbaijan regained control over most of the previously contested territories. In 2023, Azerbaijan asserted full control over the region through military operations. Border delimitation discussions between Azerbaijan and Armenia continue against the backdrop of ongoing peace negotiations, with mediation by the United States, the European Union, and Russia. However, a final peace agreement has yet to be reached.