The member of the RA NA delegation to PACE PA Maria Karapetyan gave a speech during the OSCE PA Winter Meeting being held in Vienna.
“Dear colleagues,
The South Caucasus is one of the geographies on our continent where the transition from West to East takes place. Between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, our region is one way Europe connects to Central and South-East Asia. Armenia’s vision for the South Caucasus is to turn it into a Crossroads of Peace, ensuring the smoothest transit of commerce, energy, and people across our region.
2024 was unprecedented in terms of peace in our region. Not a single incident has taken place on our border with Azerbaijan. We believe that Armenia and Azerbaijan can make one final effort and sign the peace treaty any moment now, opening ground also for enhanced economic cooperation in our region.
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We believe that Armenia and Azerbaijan have a lot to gain in using each other’s territory to reach different parts of their own territory as well as to connect to other neighbouring countries. We know Azerbaijan would like a transit through Armenia to more easily reach its exclave Nakhijevan, and Armenia would like a transit through Azerbaijan to more easily connect with its southern region of Syunik. We are proposing to make a final effort in this direction as well and to unblock all communications in our region based on respect for each other’s territorial integrity and jurisdiction.
We are also optimistic and looking forward to the decision of Türkiye to open the border with us and establish diplomatic relations, beginning a new era for our countries and the region. Let us make the South Caucasus a region of connection and dialogue and start cooperating on the economy, the environment, and what not.
Interdependence with neighbors – that is our vision for the future of the South Caucasus, and we hope our neighbours will reciprocate on this. We would like the South Caucasus to no longer be associated with conflict and blockade but rather with peace and connectivity. We extend a hand to our neighbours in reaching this goal together.
Thank you very much,” Maria Karapetyan said in her speech.
RA NA