On January 28, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev issued another provocative statement targeting Armenia, timed to coincide with Armenian Army Day. In a calculated move, Aliyev delivered a speech on Armenia’s proposed “Crossroads of Peace” project during a meeting on Azerbaijan’s transportation issues, continuing to demand that Armenia open a land corridor connecting Azerbaijan to its Nakhichevan exclave.
“Armenia has put forward the so-called ‘Crossroads of Peace’ project, and there is hardly a country left in the world where this project has not been presented. However, this so-called project is worth nothing without Azerbaijan,” Aliyev declared, dismissing Armenia’s efforts on the international stage.
Aliyev further emphasized Azerbaijan’s conditions for the project’s realization. “If you truly want to implement this project, you must first engage with Azerbaijan. Because without us, it is merely a piece of paper. Our terms are fair, grounded in international law, and based on Armenia’s own commitments,” he asserted.
During his speech, Aliyev reiterated Azerbaijan’s demand for unrestricted transit through Armenian territory, a contentious issue framed by Azerbaijan as the ‘Zangezur Corridor.’ He stated, “Armenia must fulfill its obligations and ensure unhindered passage from Azerbaijan to Azerbaijan.” Aliyev claimed that the term “Zangezur Corridor” has gained international recognition since Azerbaijan’s “victory” in the 2020 Second Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) War, adding, “Today, the Zangezur corridor is a widely accepted term and expression. Of course, we are taking practical steps for the opening of this corridor.”
Aliyev also accused Yerevan of failing to comply with a Russian-brokered ceasefire agreement that ended the 2020 Armenian-Azerbaijani war in Artsakh. He argued that the agreement, according to Baku, obligates Armenia to open rail and road links between Nakhichevan and the rest of Azerbaijan through Syunik, stating that Russian border guards will ‘control’ the movement of people, vehicles, and goods. However, the Armenian government rejects this interpretation, asserting that the accord only calls for conventional transport links and does not exempt Azerbaijani cargo from Armenian border checks.
Armenia’s Crossroads of Peace project, regularly promoted by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, stipulates that both South Caucasus states should have full control over their respective transport infrastructure. However, Aliyev dismissed the initiative entirely, claiming Baku has repeatedly made clear to Yerevan that it is ‘not worth a penny.’ He further accused the Armenian side of misleading the international community with various ‘manipulations.’
Pashinyan insisted on the project in response to Aliyev’s January 7 threats to forcibly open the “Zangezur Corridor.” He stated that Yerevan is still awaiting Baku’s response to its ‘very concrete proposal’ on the issue, which was made after his last round of negotiations with Aliyev in October 2023.
Armenian officials have also raised concerns that Azerbaijan may be planning another military offensive against Armenia after hosting the COP29 climate summit in November. Pashinyan’s domestic critics and some analysts have portrayed Aliyev’s threats as further evidence that Baku is preparing for war.
However, Aliyev’s interpretation of the agreements stemming from the 2020 trilateral statement”signed by Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia”remains highly contested. While the document advocates for the unblocking of regional transportation links, it does not stipulate the absence of inspections or the creation of a corridor under Azerbaijani control. Azerbaijan has also been accused of failing to meet other obligations outlined in the agreement. These unfulfilled commitments, coupled with Azerbaijan’s military occupation of Artsakh in 2023, have further undermined the document’s relevance.
