YEREVAN — The Republic of Armenia has never discussed, is not discussing, and will never discuss the terminology used by the President of Azerbaijan or the logic stemming from it, stated Prime Minister’s spokesperson Nazeli Baghdasaryan in response to a question from Armenpress.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev recently reiterated his claim that Armenia must “ensure unimpeded and secure access from Azerbaijan to Azerbaijan” and elaborated on his expectations: “Azerbaijani cargo and citizens should not see Armenian border guards or anyone else. There should be no physical contact, only guaranteed security measures that allow our people and cargo to move freely.” He added that this demand was also reiterated during his recent meeting in Abu Dhabi.
“In contrast, the Republic of Armenia is engaged in discussions with both Azerbaijan and other international partners regarding the ‘Crossroads of Peace’ project. Armenia expects the unblocking of transport links through the territory of Azerbaijan between Armenia’s Syunik Province and the rest of the country, as well as with and from third countries. In turn, Armenia is ready to provide transport access through its own territory between the western regions of Azerbaijan and the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, as well as between Azerbaijan and third countries. All of this must occur under the full respect for the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and jurisdiction of both countries, based on the principle of reciprocity. No alternative has been, or will be, discussed by Armenia on or around July 10 in Abu Dhabi or at any other time,” Baghdasaryan emphasized.
She pointed out that Aliyev’s assertion that Azerbaijani citizens should not encounter Armenian border guards is completely outside the scope of ongoing discussions and added: “This is essentially a concealed territorial claim against the Republic of Armenia, which is unacceptable and contradicts the spirit and letter of previous negotiations and agreements.”
“The Republic of Armenia must have access to information regarding who enters its territory, whether they exit, and whether individuals and their documents match. If there is a discrepancy, entry cannot be permitted. Likewise, Armenia must know whether cargo entering its territory for transit purposes has exited. Otherwise, it would create an uncontrollable source of smuggling and trafficking in prohibited goods. Armenia must also know what cargo is moving through its territory—if a train or truck carrying chemical materials crashes, Armenia would bear the consequences and its agencies would be responsible for the response. There can be no scenario where individuals or cargo enter Armenia without being checked by relevant Armenian authorities,” she said.
Baghdasaryan stressed that both Armenia and Azerbaijan have international obligations, including the prevention and suppression of international crime, which are carried out, among other means, through their customs and border control services. “Therefore, Azerbaijan’s expectations are also unclear in this context,” she said.
“However,” she continued, “as Prime Minister Pashinyan explained during his July 16 press conference, modern technologies can be used to conduct border and customs procedures—sometimes without direct contact—such as with biometric passports and digital cargo declarations and scanning. This format is now widely used across many countries.”
The spokesperson added that all railcars passing through Armenian territory must be sealed to prevent smuggling.
“Moreover, there are internationally accepted fees for transit. All relevant agreed-upon fees must be paid, and the state budget of Armenia should receive income from the reactivation of these transport routes,” she said.
On the issue of security, Baghdasaryan emphasized that the Republic of Armenia is responsible for ensuring the safety of all roads, cargo, transport vehicles, and passengers crossing its territory.
“The ‘Crossroads of Peace’ project includes additional security mechanisms, such as the creation of a dedicated subdivision within Armenia’s National Security Service. Armenia is ready to ensure the safe transit of goods, vehicles, pipelines, cables, and, of course, passengers,” she stated.
Regarding infrastructure investments needed for reopening transport links, she concluded, “Each country will determine its own investment models. Prime Minister Pashinyan clearly stated during his July 16 press conference that no investment scheme on the territory of Armenia can go beyond Armenia’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, or jurisdiction.”
