ArmInfo.Establishing direct connections with Nakhijevan and other regions of Azerbaijan by land and railways will further strengthen our relations. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a conversation with reporters upon his return from Nakhijevan.
"Thanks to these strong relationships, we will further increase the distance traveled on many issues. For this reason, we will make every effort to open this corridor (the corridor through the Syunik region of the Republic of Armenia, ed. note) as soon as possible. Obtaining this corridor, which is very important for Turkey and Azerbaijan, is of a strategic nature and must be completed. When this corridor is opened, cars and trains leaving from Baku will arrive directly at Kars. The Turkish-Azerbaijani brotherhood will become even stronger. If Armenia does not participate, then how will the route go? Through Iran. Iran has a positive attitude towards this, so a route through Iran to Azerbaijan can be established," Erdogan said, as quoted by APA.
Regarding the Armenian-Turkish normalization, Erdogan noted that Turkey does not expect Armenia to delay the process, but to demonstrate a strong will. "I told Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan about this expectation during a telephone conversation on September 11," he added.
"We do not see any problems that will not be resolved while respecting the territorial integrity, sovereignty of Azerbaijan and the right to neighborliness. Ensuring progress in the Azerbaijani-Armenian process will greatly contribute to normalization in the region. We will continue to work together with Azerbaijan to establish stability, peace and prosperity in the South Caucasus," Erdogan assured. At the same time, the Turkish leader believes that after the forceful seizure of Artsakh, "the time has come for stable peace and tranquility." "Armenia's duty is to be on the side of peace, to establish and protect this peace," he said.
Turkey and Azerbaijan are trying to get an extraterritorial corridor through the Syunik region of the Republic of Armenia. They assure that the Prime Minister of Armenia promised them. Meanwhile, official Yerevan assures that there cannot be any corridor through the Republic of Armenia. Experts tend to believe that after the Azerbaijani-Turkish tandem captures Artsakh, Syunik will come next.