Armenian PM clarifies Russian FSB's role in monitoring Zangezur corridor

During the conference titled “Crossroads of Peace: Uniting Security and Democracy,” Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that representatives of the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) may be limited to a monitoring role regarding the road in Syunik (Zangezur - ed.).

Citing the 9th point of the trilateral statement from November 9, 2020, Pashinyan emphasized that Armenia guarantees the security of transportation links between Azerbaijan's western regions and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, ensuring the unimpeded movement of citizens, vehicles, and goods in both directions, Caliber.Az reports.

He highlighted that control over these transport routes should be exercised by the FSB's Border Service, interpreting this to mean that their function would primarily be observational, intended to ensure Armenia fulfils its commitments.

Pashinyan also noted that none of the statement’s points infringe upon Armenia's sovereign rights, asserting that the issues arising from the agreement are complex and cannot be distilled into a single point.

In response to these developments, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk, co-chair of the trilateral working group, reaffirmed Russia's readiness to assist in unblocking communications in the South Caucasus, underscoring the need for respect for Armenia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. He acknowledged, however, that the trilateral working group has seen little progress in the past 1.5 to 2 years, with direct negotiations between Yerevan and Baku taking precedence.

The call for unblocking all economic and transport links in the region is rooted in the trilateral statement of November 9-10, 2020, which was further expanded upon in a January 2021 meeting in Moscow.

However, the commission has been inactive for a considerable period, leading Yerevan and Baku to engage directly in negotiations.

By Vafa Guliyeva