The Prime Minister noted that for more than 30 years Armenia’s borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan have been closed, and “today we are talking a lot about the possibility of opening regional communications.” He attached importance to Armenia’s readiness to take very concrete and effective steps towards the opening of communications in the region.

“The Republic of Armenia expresses its willingness to create and restore railway communication with Azerbaijan, including through previously existing railways. The first is the northern route, which connects the Kazakh region of Azerbaijan with the Tavush region of Armenia, and the second is the southern route, which, among others, also connects the western regions of Azerbaijan with the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan. Moreover, we believe that the western regions of Azerbaijan can be connected with the Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan and the outside world in general through the northern route. We expressed this willingness officially,” PM Pashinyan stated.

He emphasized that highways can also open up new opportunities for the region. Basically, he said, Armenia can connect and link other countries through the “Crossroads of Peace” along the north-south and east-west axis.

“We show the same readiness in terms of opening the Armenia-Turkey railway, reconstructing and reopening the two existing Armenia-Turkey highways, which, we believe, will have a significant impact not only on our region, but also on international economic relations and on cultural, political ties and global security issues in general,” the Prime Minister noted.

PM Pashinyan presented the principles underlying the Crossroads of Peace project.

“The first is that all infrastructure, including roads, railways, airways, pipelines, cables, power lines, must operate under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the countries through which they pass,” he said.

“The next principle is as follows: each state, through its state institutions, ensures border control, customs control and security of all infrastructures, including the passage of citizens, goods and vehicles. In order to solve this issue, a special unit was created in the National Security Service by the decision of the Armenian government to ensure the security of regional communications,” PM Pashinyan stated.

The next principle is that the infrastructure can be used for both domestic and international freight and communication. Countries use infrastructure on the principle of equality and reciprocity now, he noted.

“Within the framework of the above-mentioned principles, some procedural simplifications may take place on the basis of the principle of reciprocity and equality,” Nikol Pashinyan stated.

The Prime Minister emphasized that the Crossroads of Peace project will expand access to the sea for both Armenia and Azerbaijan, and in general, will create wider opportunities for multi-modal cargo transportation, as well as many significant opportunities for pipelines, cables, power lines in the mentioned directions.