U.S. Proposal to Lease Syunik Corridor Deemed Unacceptable by Armenian Side

YEREVAN — The Armenian government has rejected a U.S. proposal to lease a land corridor that would connect Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave through Armenia, according to Arman Yeghoyan, a lawmaker from the ruling party.

In an interview with Factor TV, Yeghoyan stated that the idea of leasing the corridor was unacceptable to the Armenian side, as it was viewed as a threat to the country’s sovereignty.

“We’re talking about sovereignty, delegation of authority — but to whom, and what exactly would we be delegating?” Yeghoyan said.

When asked whether there was indeed a leasing proposal, the Civil Contract party MP responded: “The Americans did have such an idea, but it was not acceptable to us… because we saw a danger of compromising our sovereignty.” According to Yeghoyan, the proposal is no longer on the negotiating table.

The U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Thomas Barrack, revealed on July 11 that Washington had proposed a 100-year lease of the proposed transport link as part of efforts to facilitate a peace agreement between the two South Caucasus nations. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s press secretary, Nazeli Baghdasarian, dismissed the possibility on July 14, noting that Armenian law only permits the lease of agricultural land for farming or grazing purposes.