There is no component that should not be taken into account in terms of economic and transport unblocking, says Deputy Prime Minister

The Deputy Prime Minister of Armenia, Mher Grigoryan, believes that a proper solution to the issue of economic and transport connections in the region could itself be a security guarantee. Grigoryan expressed this view during a Q&A session in the National Assembly while responding to a question from LHK MP Arkadi Khachaturyan.

The MP inquired about the restoration of transport communication with Azerbaijan, noting that the issue has political, legal, and economic dimensions. According to him, it is evident that the restoration of communications aligns with the interests of Turkey and Azerbaijan. “In the presence of all these issues, who and on what basis has decided that the country’s interest exists in this case?” the MP asked.

Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan responded, “In terms of economic and transport unblocking, there is no component that should not be taken into account. However, in order for us to proceed along that path, a platform needs to be formed where these issues can be discussed, impulses received, and counter-impulses generated, so that ultimately, it becomes possible to unblock the economy and resolve the issue of transport unblocking. Personally, I believe that this issue needs to be resolved. Not resolving this issue places us in a more insecure situation than resolving it. The correct solution to this issue can itself be a security guarantee.”

As for the implications and how it will be reflected, the Deputy Prime Minister thinks it is a matter of regulations. He agreed that there are legal and economic analyses, as well as risk assessment issues involved. However, according to him, these problems need to be discussed. “If there is an impression that all these issues are solved today and there are ready-made solutions that need to be agreed upon and signed today, this is not the case,” said Grigoryan.

He reminded that the discussion phase has not even begun yet. At the end of the month, there will be the first meeting with the Russian and Azerbaijani sides. In order to unblock all economic and transport connections in the region, a trilateral working group chaired by the Deputy Prime Ministers of Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan will be led by Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan from the Armenian side. The working group will hold its first meeting by January 30, 2021, the outcomes of which will inform the development of a list of key priorities based on the ninth point of the declaration, accepting rail and road communications as priorities and determining other agreed directions between the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Republic of Armenia, and the Russian Federation.