Shoigu says Meghri corridor, North–South route not rivals

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Meghri corridor and the North–South transport route are not rivals but rather complementary projects essential for enabling Azerbaijan to connect its regions, said Russian Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu following the 13th meeting of CSTO Security Council Secretaries.

“I believe both routes not only have the right to exist but are necessary to allow Azerbaijan to connect its regions and facilitate trade between countries through transport corridors,” Shoigu said, as quoted by TASS.

Regarding the North–South corridor, Shoigu added that it provides a crucial link from deep southern seaports to the Arctic Ocean and the Northern Sea Route.

“I don’t see anything wrong here; no competition suggesting one bypasses the other. Not at all,” he emphasized.

Shoygu pointed out that Russia is a vast country with highly developed transportation infrastructure and stated that “every new route is always a good thing.”

Meanwhile, in Washington, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and U.S. President Donald Trump officially agreed to launch the Trump Route.

“The route will enable Azerbaijan to reach Nakhichevan while fully respecting Armenia’s sovereignty. Armenia is also entering an exclusive partnership with the U.S. to develop this corridor, with a potential term of up to 99 years, renewable for another 99. Major infrastructure developments are expected, and American companies are eager to invest in these countries, bringing economic benefits to all three nations,” Trump said.

On September 11, Pashinyan clarified that Armenia had not leased land to the U.S. for 99 years but had granted development rights instead.