The Zangezur Corridor is a Strategic Dream for Turkey, Says Turkish Minister

The Turkish Minister of Trade, Omer Bolat, presented the country’s commercial and logistical strategic priorities to the Turkish newspaper 'Analiz'. According to Ermenihaber.am, the minister also addressed the so-called 'Zangezur Corridor'.

Bolat stated that Turkey's position as a logistics bridge at the intersection of three continents transforms its geopolitical advantage. He noted that the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, Marmaray, Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge, Kars-Istanbul-Europe connections, the Zangezur Corridor, and the Development Road projects are significant infrastructural initiatives aimed at strengthening Turkey's position in global trade.

Continuing to discuss the 'Zangezur Corridor', the minister declared that it would connect Turkey with the Turkic world and Central Asia. 'This is not only a strategic dream but also a commercial necessity,' he said.

Bolat indicated that currently, exports to Central Asia pass through the Sarp border checkpoint, covering approximately 950 kilometers. He mentioned that after the opening of the corridor, the road distance between Turkey and Azerbaijan would be reduced to 400 kilometers, while the transit time from China to Europe would decrease by 5 to 7 days, and costs would be reduced by 15 to 20 percent.

The minister added that despite the complexities of reducing geopolitical competition, the trade potential could help overcome these obstacles. He assessed that in the long term, Zangezur could become a peace project that fosters regional confidence. He emphasized that the Development Road and the corridor are designed not only for multimodal transport but also regarded as strategic energy and communication routes.

Bolat also mentioned that the projects integrate oil pipelines, gas pipelines, fiber optic infrastructure, and power transmission lines, as Turkey moves toward becoming a logistics, production, and energy center.