Armenian political scientist calls Aliyev`s statements about the  capacity of the route through Syunik unfounded

ArmInfo.  Armenian political scientist Vahe Davtyan  has called the statements of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev regarding the capacity of the route through Syunik unfounded.

"Aliyev has estimated the potential capacity of the so-called  "Zangezur corridor" at 15 million tons. This figure is completely  unfounded and not supported by calculations. It is circulating in the  information field with the goal  of demonstrating to external actors  that the communication route passing through the south of Armenia is  not only of local, but also of macro-regional significance," the  expert noted. In his opinion, in order to assess the objectivity of  this expected indicator, it is appropriate to draw a parallel with  the Baku- Tbilisi-Kars railway, which is indeed a key communication  infrastructure of regional importance and operates in incomparably  more stable and predictable geopolitical conditions.

Davtyan pointed out that the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway, which was  launched in 2017, has a capacity of 6.5 million tons of cargo and 1  million passengers per year. "However, currently,  it is only being  utilized at half its capacity. The "Zangezur corridor" will have zero  trade and commercial efficiency. It's main purpose appears to be  facilitating unimpeded military transfers, militarizing Nakhichevan,  establishing  a military base there,  creating an anti-Iranian  bridgehead and diminishing Russian influence. That is why Washington,  London and the Jewish lobby, which holds significant influence in  these "power centers," are demonstrating such keen interest in the  "corridor," Davtyan concluded.