Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has stated that establishing interstate relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan is a strategic necessity for his country. Speaking at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO+) summit, Pashinyan outlined the core directions of Yerevan's regional policy.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, Pashinyan emphasized that maintaining a state of conflict undermines Armenia's sovereignty and independence. He noted that Yerevan is pursuing a balanced foreign policy to mitigate geopolitical risks.
Pashinyan explained that if the influence of any single geopolitical power center threatens the country's independence, Armenia seeks to activate relations with other power centers to restore balance. He highlighted that Armenia has signed strategic cooperation agreements with China, the United States, France, Germany, and Georgia, while also maintaining strategic ties with Iran and India. Crucially, he reiterated that steps are being taken to normalize relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey.
The Prime Minister specifically highlighted the significance of the "Crossroads of Peace" (often referred to in regional contexts as TRIPP) project. According to Pashinyan, the realization of this project could create new transport opportunities in the region, connecting East to West—from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean—and South to North—from the Persian Gulf to the Black Sea.
It should be noted that the "Crossroads of Peace" project has elicited varying reactions in the region. Iran's Ambassador to Armenia, Mehdi Sobhani (referred to in some reports as Khalil Shirgholami), has previously emphasized the importance of considering potential risks when opening regional communications. Furthermore, some analysts have noted that regional infrastructure projects often face complex geopolitical scrutiny regarding their impact on existing trade routes between Iran and Europe.
