Armenian Ambassador to Iran Arsen Avagyan presented the cooperation between Tehran and Yerevan in political, economic and energy spheres. The Armenian Embassy in Iran reports.
“Any transportation communication should be under the sovereignty and jurisdiction of a given country and operate on the basis of the principles of equality and reciprocity,” he noted.
Ambassador Arsen Avakian touched upon bilateral relations and cooperation between Tehran and Yerevan in an interview with Iran's ISNA news agency.
“The warm relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Islamic Republic of Iran are based on good neighborliness. For Armenia, strengthening and deepening relations with Iran is of special importance. This issue is also mentioned in the four-year plan of the Government of the Republic of Armenia for 2021-2026. We can confidently say that both sides have the necessary political will and preparations to maximize the deepening of relations.
The presence of the Government of Armenia at the highest level at the farewell ceremony of the late President of Iran Mr. Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi and his companions, as well as the presence at the inauguration ceremony of the newly elected President Masoud Pezeshkian testifies to the importance of relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
In the context of these trips, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan in his meetings with high-ranking officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran, particularly in his meeting with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, discussed the existing interactions between Armenia and Iran and the prospects for further cooperation. Issues of future cooperation were discussed. Yerevan believes that in cooperation with the 14th government, new and more ambitious programs can be planned in parallel with the implementation of previous agreements.
Regarding the bilateral economic cooperation between Armenia and Iran, it should certainly be noted that despite the fact that countless programs are currently being implemented, the opportunities for cooperation between the two countries are much greater. If they are realized, significant results can be achieved,” he noted.
The Ambassador noted that Armenia and Iran are actively cooperating with each other in the sphere of infrastructure.
“Within the framework of this cooperation, with the participation of Iranian companies, the construction of the 32-kilometer Kajaran-Agarak road in Armenia is underway, located on the route of the North-South road and transportation project.” In addition to its infrastructural significance, this project is also of great importance in terms of strategy, economy, civilization and culture. This point will be one of the important crossing points of the north-south transportation route and the exit from the Persian Gulf to the Black Sea.
The next step in the development of bilateral economic relations is to increase transportation capacities and use the great transit opportunities of the two countries. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to implement practical measures to ensure free movement of passenger and cargo vehicles to Armenia and Iran, as well as to reconstruct the Meghri border crossing, which has been entrusted to an Iranian company,” he said.
The Armenian Ambassador in Tehran also emphasized that close bilateral economic cooperation is an important driving force of multilateral contacts.
“Armenia's geographical position and the opportunities that exist due to this position allow our country to be Iran's natural bridge to the market of the
Eurasian Economic Union. Our government welcomes the signing of the free trade agreement between the member states of the Eurasian Economic Union and Iran.
Asked about the establishment of the corridor claimed by Azerbaijan, the diplomat said: “One of the important guarantees for the establishment of peace and stability in the region is the removal of obstacles in the transportation and economic infrastructure, which is considered one of the priorities of the Armenian government. The Armenian government's point of view and attitude in this regard is reflected in detail in the “Crossroads of Peace” project proposed by the Armenian Prime Minister.
In our view, the existence of any extraterritorial corridor is unacceptable, and we emphasize that any transport route should be under the jurisdiction of the country concerned and based on the principles of mutual and equal action. This point is exactly in line with the position reflected in the Crossroads of the World project. It is important for us that these views of Armenia are not only fully understood in Iran, but also the position statements on the necessity of unconditional respect for the territorial integrity of Armenia and inviolability of the borders of this country continue to be made in Tehran at the highest level”.
The Armenian Ambassador in Tehran emphasized that the Republic of Armenia is ready to fully guarantee the safety of the passage of goods, vehicles and people through its territory. “Yerevan has repeatedly stated that it is ready to realize the connection between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan exactly under the conditions envisioned by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Let me mention here the speech of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the 79th session of the UN General Assembly.
In his speech, he emphasized that all statements that somewhere and according to some document Armenia has agreed that the security of communication lines on its territory will be ensured by third forces are just another way of presenting reality. Armenia's obligations in this regard are obvious, it guarantees the security of goods, vehicles and people on its territory, and we guarantee it,” he said.
The Armenian diplomat also commented on the proposal to replace the term “Zangezur Corridor” with “Arax Corridor” and answered the question whether the Armenian government has any other proposals and solutions in this regard? “To answer your question, I must once again refer to the Four Paths to Peace project presented by the Government of the Republic of Armenia. This project is aimed at removing obstacles on economic transportation routes, increasing the transit potential of the countries in the region, as well as creating new ties and establishing a stable and long-term peace,” the Ambassador said.
He explained that the Four Roads to Peace project implies the renewal and development of regional communications through the reconstruction, construction and operation of roads, railroad lines, pipelines, cables and power lines.
“Of course, the Four Roads to Peace project is also important for us from the point of view that if this plan is realized, we will also be given the opportunity of a rail link with the friendly country of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is important to us that a number of countries have officially expressed their support for this project, including Iran, which we hope will participate in the realization of this plan. In conclusion, I should note that the most effective and beneficial mechanism for lifting the blockade of the economic infrastructure of the region is the implementation of the “Crossroads of Peace” project, which provides for mutual benefit.
The Armenian Ambassador in Tehran also commented on the observation that although the authorities in Yerevan and Baku claim to have achieved a lasting peace, it seems that there are differences between the two countries that hinder the achievement of peace.
“Establishing lasting peace in the region is the most important priority. The Republic of Armenia is well aware of the value of regional peace and stability and spares no effort to achieve them. We believe that regional peace requires collective responsibility, we have assumed our responsibility and we ask other stakeholders in this issue to assume their share of responsibility and with a sense of commitment to the category of peace take a more constructive stance towards the processes in the region,” he said.
Arsen Avagyan noted that as a result of negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the past 2 years many agreements on the peace treaty have been reached.
“Our proposal is that the draft of this document and the points agreed upon in the draft should be signed as soon as possible, diplomatic relations should be established and discussions and investigations should continue to resolve all issues of mutual importance for the parties,” the Armenian ambassador said.
The Armenian diplomat also spoke about the visit of the French Foreign Minister to Armenia, as well as the role of countries like France in the developments in the region.
“The Republic of Armenia has close and friendly relations with many countries, including France. Our government welcomes the participation of all actors who take a constructive stance to ensure security and stability in the region. In this context, I must emphasize that the positions of Tehran and Paris coincide, and this moment is very important to prevent catastrophic events in the region,” he said.
Reprinted from https://news.am/
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