Turkish experts urge swift removal of barriers to Zangezur Corridor

The Zangezur Corridor holds strategic importance for the South Caucasus and regional integration, but Turkish analysts say its progress is being hindered by international interference and Western double standards.

Ankara-based experts have called for urgent steps to remove obstacles to the implementation of the Zangezur Corridor, a key transport and logistics route intended to link the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic with western Azerbaijan through Armenian territory, Caliber.Az reports per local media.

Analysts Tuğçe Tecimer and Selenay Erva Yalçın from the Ankara Centre for Eurasian Studies (AVİM) stressed that the project is vital for long-term peace and development in the South Caucasus. They argued that the corridor would serve the interests of all regional countries, including Armenia, by providing an alternative gateway to international and regional markets.

The AVİM analysts asserted that restoring unhindered connectivity between Nakhchivan and mainland Azerbaijan could act as a powerful driver for regional economies and lay the groundwork for broader cooperation across multiple sectors.

They also expressed concern over the presence of European Union monitors on Armenia's border with Azerbaijan, describing it as another example of what they termed the West’s “double standards.” According to the AVİM analysts, such deployments reflect a pro-Armenian bias that has characterised Western policy for years.

The experts concluded that removing the remaining impediments to the Zangezur Corridor must become a priority to ensure regional stability and sustainable peace.

Note that, the Zangezur Corridor is a key transport project set to connect Azerbaijan’s western regions with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. According to the ninth clause of the trilateral statement signed on 10 November 2020 by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia, the corridor is slated for opening. The project is also expected to enhance strategic transport links between Central Asia, the Caucasus and Türkiye.

At present, over 80% of the highways and 45% of the railways on Azerbaijani territory have been completed. However, Armenia has yet to take concrete steps in this direction. As a result, Azerbaijan has reached an agreement with Iran on constructing alternative transport routes passing through Iranian territory to Nakhchivan.

The Zangezur Corridor is seen not only as a means of bolstering Azerbaijan’s internal transport network but also as a significant initiative to foster economic and political integration across the Turkic world. Nonetheless, countries such as Iran and Armenia remain cautious about the corridor’s opening, voicing opposition to potential geopolitical shifts in the region.

By Aghakazim Guliyev