It sounds good when we talk about connectivity, international trade and transit, deepening cultural and people-to-people communication. From an economic point of view, increased interconnectedness and interdependence will be beneficial. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan stated at the Diplomacy Forum in Antalya.
“My country, Armenia, is a landlocked country, and we understand very well the importance of the above, if not more, at least not less than the people gathered in this room. In addition, we have only four neighbors and only two open borders, the borders with other countries remain closed. We are negotiating with both neighbors to open the borders and establish normal relations,” the Foreign Minister said in his speech.
He noted that apart from the economic aspect, there is a political side to the issue, and the interconnectedness, which is economically beneficial, is also a significant factor for lasting peace. Mirzoyan emphasized that this applies to our region as well.
“Therefore, in order to show Armenia's readiness, we launched the ‘Crossroads of Peace’ initiative. We see that project not only as an economic tool, but also as a potential peace factor,” the Foreign Minister said.
Presenting the ‘Crossroads of Peace’ initiative and the principles underlying it, the Minister expressed hope that the participants of the forum will consider them fair.
Mirzoyan emphasized especially the unblocking of transportation communication based on sovereignty and national legislation. The Minister of Foreign Affairs noted that cooperation should be built on the basis of equality and reciprocity.
