Naturally, a component of the process of normalizing Armenia-Azerbaijan relations is the unblocking of regional transport infrastructure. Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan stated this during a press conference summing up the work of 2024, recalling that the Armenian side had put forward the Crossroads of Peace initiative, which, according to the Minister, is not limited to unblocking the Armenia-Azerbaijan transport routes, but rather forms a much broader international agenda.
Mizoyan also emphasized that the Crossroads of Peace initiative has been welcomed by a number of countries and international partners.
“One of its components is also the unblocking of the Armenia-Azerbaijan transport routes. In this regard, we have again made a proposal to the Azerbaijani side, the proposal was voiced by Prime Minister Pashinyan in Kazan, and later the Armenian side, in the face of Deputy Prime Minister Grigoryan, presented a more comprehensive and written version to Azerbaijan.
I can say that the initial response of the Azerbaijani side (at least, that was my perception) was quite positive. Unfortunately, we have not received an official response on this issue to this day either.
I must say that the proposal we made addresses all the existing problems. It concerns, of course, in the first stage (this is what the proposal is about) the unblocking of the railway passing through the south of Armenia, Yeraskh-Nakhiյevan-Meghri, and then the railway passing through Azerbaijan, and the transit of cargo. Here we have proposed both a certain simplification of customs and border crossing procedures, as well as additional security mechanisms for the same cargo.
I repeat, the initial response of the Azerbaijani side left a positive impression, we will see the rest," he said.
