Official Yerevan on Proposals for Implementing the 'Peace Crossroads'

The Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia, Vahan Kostanyan, emphasized in an article published in the Iranian news agency 'Irna' that Armenia expects Iran's direct involvement and interest in implementing the ambitious idea known as the 'Peace Crossroads'. According to 'Armenpress', the article details Armenia's proposals.

"Our region, which is a significant part of the great crossroads connecting the East to the West and the North to the South, has historically served as a bridge connecting various corners of the world at different stages of history. The unique geographical position, which gifts this great potential, has often remained unrealized due to the absence of peace and prolonged conflicts and clashes. The foundational essence of the 'Peace Crossroads' is the establishment, reactivation, and development of new communication links through the repair, construction, and reinvigoration of roads, railways, pipelines, cables, and electric transmission lines that traverse all countries in our region, including the Republic of Armenia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Georgia, the Republic of Turkey, and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

I would like to emphasize that the Republic of Armenia is ready to open and reactivate all communication links passing through its sovereign territory, ensuring, without discrimination, the safety of cargo, transport vehicles, people, pipelines, and electric lines passing through Armenia. In this context, active preparatory work is currently being undertaken.

The activation of the 'Peace Crossroads' will create opportunities to realize the economic potential of international transit routes connecting the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to the Black Sea, as well as the 'North-South' transport corridor. Additionally, new conditions will be established for the restoration of the Meghri railway, which will provide another connection between Armenia and Iran. This restored railway will not only connect Azerbaijan and Armenia with Azerbaijan's southwestern regions and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic but will also ensure qualitatively new communication between Armenia's southern and northwestern regions. We should not underestimate the Gyumri-Kars railway, which will create entirely new trade opportunities for Armenia, Iran, Turkey, Georgia, and Azerbaijan.

I find it important that the 'Peace Crossroads' will enable the enhancement of communication links with another important partner, the Republic of India, and particularly with the strategically significant Chabahar port, via the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Essentially, the 'Peace Crossroads' will interlink not only the regional countries but also the East with the West, the North with the South, the Persian Gulf with the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea with the Caspian Sea.

To implement the 'Peace Crossroads', we propose the following four simple principles that will ensure the viability of this ambitious project:

1. All infrastructures, including highways, railways, air routes, pipelines, cables, and electric transmission lines, operate under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the countries through which they pass.
2. Each country implements border and customs control through its state institutions in its territory and ensures the safety of the passage of infrastructure, including those carrying cargo, vehicles, and people.
3. The mentioned infrastructures can be used for both international and domestic transportation.
4. All countries utilize each other’s infrastructures on the principles of equality and reciprocity. Certain simplifications of border and customs control procedures can be implemented on the basis of equality and reciprocity.