Political allies of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have made vague statements regarding his terms for opening a transport route between Azerbaijan and its Nakhichevan exclave through Armenia, intensifying opposition fears that Yerevan may have conceded to Baku’s demand for an extraterritorial corridor.
Pashinyan’s government has previously rejected Azerbaijan’s insistence that people and cargo traveling to and from Nakhichevan bypass Armenian border controls. However, it has expressed willingness to implement “simplified procedures” for Armenian-Azerbaijani border crossings and transit.
In October, the Armenian government submitted proposals to Baku regarding these transit arrangements but has refused to make their content public. Speculation about the proposals grew on Tuesday when Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan stated that Yerevan is ready to guarantee “unhindered” passage between Nakhichevan and mainland Azerbaijan.
“Whatever that road is … they [Azerbaijan] will call it a corridor,” Simonyan remarked, echoing similar comments made by Pashinyan at a recent press conference.
The statement sparked backlash from the opposition, prompting Simonyan to walk back his remarks on Wednesday. He insisted that Pashinyan’s government remains firmly against the so-called “Zangezur corridor” sought by Baku.
Opposition leaders remained skeptical of Simonyan’s clarification. Their concerns deepened on Thursday when two senior pro-government lawmakers refused to confirm whether the proposals sent to Baku include Armenian border and customs checks on Azerbaijani cargo and travelers.
“I do not find it appropriate to answer your question at the moment because negotiations are underway,” said Artur Hovhannisyan, one of the lawmakers.
His colleague, Arman Yeghoyan, added, “Any cargo passing through the territory of Armenia must be subject to a certain level of control, if not inspection, meaning that Armenia must know what is passing through its territory.”
Gegham Manukyan, a lawmaker from the opposition Hayastan alliance, interpreted their cautious remarks as a sign that the government may be open to extraterritorial arrangements for the Azerbaijani transit route.
The controversy comes amid renewed pressure from Baku. Last month, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev once again threatened to unilaterally establish the “Zangezur corridor.” On Tuesday, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry dismissed Armenia’s proposals, claiming they hold “no practical significance.”
