BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 15. The opening of the Zangezur corridor will foster the economic development of the region by providing additional sources of income and expanding development opportunities for all states willing to participate in this project, Ukrainian expert, public figure Oleksii Arestovych told Trend.
"The key issue is the establishment of a transportation corridor connecting the Caspian and Mediterranean Seas directly, namely the Zangezur corridor. A simpler and more reasonable option for Armenia seems to be establishing this corridor through the conclusion of a series of economic agreements, ensuring free traffic between Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic," he emphasized.
Speaking about new opportunities for the region in the future, Arestovych noted that Azerbaijan stands on the threshold of increasing the capitalization of the region, leading to additional opportunities and resources.
The expert pointed out that in the future, the region may see the construction of new pipelines initiated by Azerbaijan, similar to the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project but on a shorter route, passing through the territory of Armenia.
Arestovych also stressed the need to establish delineated transportation flows in the region, connecting it to the global system of transportation corridors, with direct access to Türkiye and the ports of the Mediterranean Sea.
He added that the implementation of this project promises not only significant economic benefits but also provides a unique opportunity for many neighboring countries, from Russia to Central Asian countries, which will gladly take advantage of this opportunity.
Proposed by the Azerbaijani side, the Zangezur corridor aims to establish a transportation link between Azerbaijan's mainland and its exclave, Nakhchivan, passing through Armenian territory. This corridor emerged as part of the trilateral statement signed by Azerbaijani, Armenian, and Russian leaders following the 2020 second Karabakh war.
One point of the agreement outlined Armenia's commitment to ensuring the security of transport connections to Nakhchivan, facilitating the unrestricted movement of people, vehicles, and goods in both directions.
This route has great potential and could become one of the continuations of the "One Belt - One Road" project, as well as part of the North-South corridor.
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