“Armenia Is Not Considering Outsourcing Control Over Its Sovereign Territory”: Yerevan Responds to U.S. Ambassador

YEREVAN — Armenia addresses the issue of unblocking regional infrastructure solely within the framework of its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and jurisdiction, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s spokesperson said in response to recent remarks by the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey.

Nazeli Baghdasaryan told Armenpress:

“Armenia has not discussed and is not considering outsourcing control over its sovereign territory to any third party.”

Regarding the proposal to lease a roadway, the Prime Minister’s spokesperson clarified:

“Under Armenian legislation, land leasing applies only to agricultural lands used for farming purposes. Therefore, the option mentioned by the U.S. ambassador is not legally feasible.”

Baghdasaryan firmly reiterated:

“Armenia has not discussed and is not discussing outsourcing control over any part of its sovereign territory to a third party. No section of Armenian territory can fall outside the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, or jurisdiction.”

Her comments were made in response to an Armenpress inquiry about whether the U.S. ambassador may have been referring to delegating oversight of the road, rather than leasing the land itself.