ArmInfo. Guided by the desire to establish a lasting and stable peace in the South Caucasus, the Government of Armenia has developed the Crossroads of Peace project, the goal of which is not only to ensure the well-being and continuous development of the peoples living in the region, but also to create conditions where there is no place for hostility and war, conflicts and xenophobia , where peace is more profitable than instability.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Vahan Kostanyan stated an interview with the Iranian Irna news agency.
At the same time, he noted that to implement this project, the Armenian side put forward four simple principles. In particular, all infrastructure, including roads, railways, airways, pipelines, cables, and power lines, will have to operate under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the countries through which they pass. He also noted that each country must exercise border and customs control on its territory through its state institutions, as well as ensure the security of infrastructure, including people, vehicles and goods that will pass through this infrastructure.
Kostanyan noted that the mentioned infrastructures can be used for both international and domestic transportation.
The deputy foreign minister considers the use of each other's infrastructures on the principle of equality and reciprocity as another important condition. "Certain simplifications of border and customs control procedures can only be implemented on the basis of equality and reciprocity," he emphasized. Kostanyan noted that the project is also aimed at implementing various regional projects that will contribute to the establishment of a new reality in the South Caucasus with open borders, economic, political, cultural and human active ties, with experience and traditions of resolving all issues through dialogue and consensus.
The launch of the Crossroads of Peace project will create opportunities for the implementation of international transit routes connecting the Persian and Oman Gulfs with the Black Sea, as well as the North- South transport corridor. At the same time, new conditions will be created for the restoration of the Meghri railway, which will become another additional connection between Armenia and Iran.
He also attached importance to the fact that the Crossroads of Peace will provide an opportunity to strengthen communication links through the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran with another important partner - the Republic of India, and in particular with the port of Chabahar, which is considered a hub.