Erdoğan: Zangezur corridor to unlock strategic, economic opportunities for region

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has emphasised the strategic and economic importance of the Zangezur corridor, stating that its opening would create new opportunities not only for Azerbaijan but for the wider region.

His remarks came during a conversation with journalists aboard his plane following a visit to Azerbaijan, Caliber.Az reports, citing TRT Haber.

Erdoğan noted that Türkiye views the Zangezur corridor as both a geopolitical and geoeconomic breakthrough. He pointed out that while Armenia had initially opposed the corridor, it is now demonstrating a more flexible stance regarding participation in regional economic integration.

Describing the project as a strategic component of the Middle Corridor—a trade route linking Europe and China through Türkiye, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia—the Turkish president said the Zangezur route would significantly enhance freight transport. According to Erdoğan, the corridor will facilitate faster delivery of goods from Türkiye across the Caspian Sea to Central Asia and China. He added that cargo from Europe destined for China would also increasingly transit through Türkiye, strengthening its position as a central logistics hub.

He underlined the growing importance of the Zangezur corridor in regional transportation, highlighting that the route includes a railway system, which would further boost its capacity for freight movement.

Erdoğan also commented on the broader regional implications of a potential peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. He said the expected signing of the agreement would transform the regional atmosphere and lead to the emergence of new and historic opportunities. He stressed that in a world undergoing rapid change, adapting to new realities would be key to unlocking economic potential and fostering prosperity.

The revival of regions affected by past conflicts, he added, could serve as a rare example of successful post-conflict reconstruction and cooperation.

By Sabina Mammadli