United States proposes a century-long tenure on Zangezur passageway to alleviate the standstill between Armenia and Azerbaijan
In the heart of the South Caucasus, the Zangezur transport corridor has become a contentious issue between Armenia and Azerbaijan. This 32-kilometer route links mainland Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave via Armenia's southern Syunik province.
The corridor has remained a bone of contention due to disagreements over control and management. Armenia seeks full control over any corridor, including customs and security, while Azerbaijan demands a third-party guarantor to ensure stability. The proposed Russian oversight, as envisioned in the 2020 ceasefire, has not been fully implemented.
As Armenia and Azerbaijan move closer to signing a peace treaty, the likelihood of agreement increases. However, Azerbaijan's demand for constitutional changes in Armenia remains a significant hurdle.
In an attempt to advance peace talks, the United States has proposed taking a role in overseeing the Zangezur corridor. This proposal suggests that a US private firm could manage the corridor, providing a neutral third-party oversight to ensure stability and facilitate peace negotiations. The US involvement is seen as a way to advance stalled diplomatic negotiations, particularly as Armenia and Azerbaijan work towards a peace treaty.
However, the US proposal has sparked domestic backlash in Armenia, with opponents accusing Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of selling out national interests. Meanwhile, Turkey supports the corridor's swift activation, viewing it as key to broader connectivity.
The corridor could potentially unlock the Middle Corridor trade route from China to Europe, offering significant economic benefits. However, regional dynamics, including opposition from Iran and complexities in Armenia-Turkey relations, continue to complicate the situation.
Armenia has rejected the proposal, stating they will not discuss the transfer of any part of their sovereign territory to third countries. Russia's focus has shifted post-2022 Ukraine invasion, straining ties with both Armenia and Azerbaijan. In response, Armenia has considered nationalizing its railways to sideline Moscow entirely in the Zangezur transport corridor.
The background on the corridor stems from the November 2020 Moscow-brokered truce after the Karabakh war, which envisioned Russian border guards overseeing the Armenian segment. The dispute over the Zangezur corridor remains a significant challenge in the region, with both Armenia and Azerbaijan holding firm positions on control and management. The US proposal aims to address these concerns by providing a neutral third-party oversight, but its implementation remains uncertain.
The US proposal for a private firm to manage the Zangezur corridor serves as a potential neutral third-party oversight, aimed at ensuring stability and facilitating peace negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the context of war-and-conflicts and politics. Domestically, this proposal has sparked backlash in Armenia, with accusations that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is selling out national interests, making it a contentious issue in general-news.
Despite Armenia's rejection of the US proposal and their stance against transferring sovereign territory to third countries, regional dynamics and economic benefits could make the Zangezur corridor a significant player in politics, war-and-conflicts, and general-news in the near future.
