Pashinyan: we want these roads to open more than anyone else

YEREVAN, February 8. /ARKA/. Armenia is interested in the opening of communications in the region more than any other country, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said at a government Q&A session in parliament on Wednesday.

"Sometimes there is an impression, especially from the interviews of our media experts that everyone around us wants these road to open except for us. Quite he contrary – it is Armenia that wants the roads to open most of all," Pashinyan said.

He said there is only one land road that connects Armenia with Russia and other Eurasian Economic Union's member countries that passes through the Upper Lars checkpoint on the Russian-Georgian border, which is often closed, especially in winter due to threats of avalanches.

"Our Georgian colleagues initiated the construction of a tunnel, which will mostly solve the problem, but we understand that the opening of regional communications, in particular, the Armenia-Azerbaijan railway and the road, will significantly increase our trade turnover with the EEU and not only," Pashinyan said.

"We have been in a blockade for 30 years, and no one needs these roads more than we do. And since everyone understands that we need these roads more than anyone else, some countries try to overestimate the "price" of opening them for us," Pashinyan said.

"The Azerbaijani president himself said recently that there is no word "corridor" in Point 9 (of November 9, 2020 trilateral statement made by the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia to end hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh)," the Prime Minister said.

He said Armenia is committed to a November 9, 2020 statement that calls, among other things, for reopening of all transport links between Armenia and Azerbaijan.-0-