Nakhichevan-Azerbaijan transit route ‘security challenge for Armenia’ – energy expert

By guaranteeing the safety of the transit route connecting Azerbaijan with the Nakhichevan Autonamous Republic, Armenia is practically becoming a tool at the hands of the Turkish-Azerbiajani tandem, a Yerevan-based energy security expert said Monday, commenting on the defense minister’s recent interview to the Russian RIA Novosti.

Speaking to Tert.am, Vahe Davtyan called a special attention to the fact that the official commitment by Yerevan “offers us no legal dividend” in the long run.

Mr. Davtyan, to what extent is it mutually possible to ensure the cargo and personnel safety [while managing] the Azerbaijan-Nakhichevan transport communication?    

Ensuring security is possible only technically. I think it is a rather short-sighted appraoch given that we may potentially consider also Armenia’s real integration into that corrdior in exchange [for the transaction]. It is now on the agenda only on the level of toasts; as we shift to practical application, however, Armenia turns out to have zero chances to gain a practical dividend from that land connection. Moreover, it is likely to deepen the economic blockade even further. We see that Armenia is not viewed as a transit zone as part of those trilateral processes; nothing about custums duties or transit tariffs. I treat that statement by Vagharshak Harutyunyan under an absolutely anti-Armenian light, as it does not match our transport and economic interests.

The prime minister was speaking about a [land] connection with Russia through Nakhichevan. To what extent is it economically expedient?

The person whom you call a prime minister does not apparently envision the map. Otherwise, he would have understood that one doesn’t have to be a geographer or a transport specialist to know that a [land] connection between Armenia and Russia through Nakhichevan is nonsence from the point of view of economic expediency. It’s all about reaching Baku – and Derbend through Baku, i.e. - the North Caucasus, via Nakhichevan, the Meghri corridor and later also- the Zangelan-Horadiz [corridor]

Obviously, most of the cargo transporters will continue using the functioning routes, i.e. – the Upper Lars and Black Sea directions. It is very important to follow [Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev’s statements on the topic. Aliyev declared in Lachin a week ago that the pursued goal is to ensure a land connection with Nakhichevan and Turkey, [adding that] Russia can, in turn, establish a land connection with Armenia. That statement by Aliyev came to reveal that Armenia’s transport issues are not part of the agenda of the ongoing processes.

Mr. Davtyan, what logistic issue is Armenia resolving in essence? What are we losing, and what advantages do we gain?

We do not gain anything. Though they are trying to present this unblocking as an economic advantage to us, a mere conversation with cargo transporters would be enough to see the absence of any logistic expediency at this point. Recall also the recent attacks on Armenian cargo transporters in Marneuli. They are a glaring proof that Armenian cargo transporters cannot possibly have a safe route through that territory.

Summing up, I have to state that we will be losing our status as a subject, contributing to the turnover of the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem and thereby ensuring the security of those transportations. Gaining practically a zero legal dividend, we are thus going to be a resource and tool for the Turkish-Azerbaijani approximation.