Varuzhan Geghamyan: Turkiye and Azerbaijan want to get a corridor through Syunik and increase their influence there

After Artsakh, Turkiye and Azerbaijan have ambitions towards Armenia, Turkologist Varuzhan Geghamyan told Alpha News.

“The leaders of these countries have territorial claims to Armenia. It stems from Turkiye’s regional interests, which implies the destruction of the Armenian state,” the Turkologist said.

According to Varuzhan Geghamyan, in order to achieve this goal, Turkiye will try to increase its influence in Syunik, which means the opening of the so-called ‘Zangezur corridor’, and after recognizing the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, it will demand the return of ‘enclaves’.

It means we will cede new territories from the regions of Ararat, Tavush and Vayots Dzor. In addition, Turkiye and Azerbaijan will set preconditions for reduction of the Armenian armed forces, and the Armenian authorities will call it the creation of a professional army,” the Turkologist noted.

The Prime Minister of Armenia has repeatedly stated that the trilateral agreement of November 9, 2020 does not stipulate a corridor through Armenia, while, according to Varuzhan Geghamyan, it stipulates the ‘Zangezur Corridor’.

To remind, according to paragraph 9 of the trilateral agreement, “all economic and transport communication shall be unlocked. Armenia guarantees the security of transport links between the western regions of Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan to organize the unhindered movement of persons, vehicles and goods in both directions.”

“Pay attention that Armenia undertakes to provide some kind of road junction, but Azerbaijan does not. This already suggests that Azerbaijan or Turkiye have once again dictated preconditions to Armenia. Those communications must have a special status called a corridor.

It means that the security of this road junction should be controlled by the forces of a third party, be it Russia now, Mozambique tomorrow, or Turkiye the next day. When the capitulation statement of November 9 expires, before that we have to give the road. It is obvious that Turkiye and Azerbaijan are striving for this. They want to get a road with a special status, along which they will gradually begin land integration, which means their influence in Syunik will increase,” the Turkologist said.