Yerevan-Baku political bargaining tells on building North-South corridor

The Armenian authorities have announced the start of building the North-South transport corridor, which will link the Persian Gulf with the Black Sea and pass across Iran, Armenia and Georgia. The construction of the corridor was delayed, as Yerevan was bargaining with Baku, Armenian political analysts believe.

At the sitting held on February 17, the Armenian Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, announced the tender for the preliminary qualification of the Sisian-Kadjaran section of the North-South highway, which, according to his version, is of strategic importance for the country.

In her conversation with the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent, Naira Airumyan, a political observer and the editor of the Russian version of the Lragir.am, drew attention to the fact that Nikol Pashinyan had announced the link of the North-South highway with the West-East one, in other words, with the so-called Zangezur Corridor, which should connect Azerbaijan with Turkey via Armenia.

Such a link, in her opinion, means that certain conditions have been put forward to Nikol Pashinyan. "Over the past month, Iran has twice reminded, at the level of the ambassador to Armenia, that the North-South highway is not related to the Zangezur Corridor. The North-South crosses the Armenian-Iranian border near the city of Megri, while Azerbaijan and Turkey demand a corridor along the Armenian-Iranian border. And if Armenia agrees to provide a corridor, then the North-South highway in Megri will be under Azerbaijan's control. Iran and Armenia will have to pay customs dues to Azerbaijan. Based on Nikol Pashinyan's statement, it can be assumed that Baku and Yerevan are bargaining. In exchange for the Zangezur Corridor, Pashinyan is trying to bargain for the Armenian-Iranian border without Baku's control," Ms Airumyan has suggested.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 18, 2022 at 04:48 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.