Armenia denies Azerbaijan's "corridor" claims

PanARMENIAN.Net - No road or transport route can function a a "corridor" in the territory of Armenia, Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan told Armenpress on Tuesday, May .

Grigoryan's remarks came after Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in claimed a phone conversation with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that during a May 22 meeting with Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan the sides reached an agreement on the opening of a "corridor" through Armenian territory, including the construction of both railways and highways

Grigoryan said there have been no changes in Armenia's stance on the matter.

"No road or transport route can function as a corridor in the territory of Armenia. All agreements reached in Brussels relate to the opening of regional connections. They fit in the framework of the public statements made previously by representatives of Armenia," Grigoryan said.

"You can see in the statement of the President of the European Council that the agreements in the context of opening of regional connections relate to the border and customs control, road fees and organizing international transit. These are important issues for realizing the Armenian Crossroads project and the Government of Armenia will consistently move in this direction.

The Azerbaijani side has on multiple occasions raised the question about a "corridor" through the southern Armenian province of Syunik that would connect Nakhijevan to the rest of Azerbaijan. The Armenian side, however, has repeatedly denied being involved in negotiations for the provision of a corridor to Azerbaijan, stressing that they have only agreed to unblock transport communications in the region.