Armenia’s Foreign Ministry declined to deny a report on Thursday suggesting that the United States has proposed placing an American company in charge of facilitating transit between mainland Azerbaijan and its Nakhichevan exclave via Armenian territory.
The report, published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace earlier this week, cited two unnamed diplomats and described the proposal as part of Washington’s broader strategic vision—comparing it to recent U.S. business involvement in Ukraine’s rare metals industry as a “stabilizing force.”
In response to inquiries, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalian reiterated Armenia’s commitment to its “Crossroads of Peace” initiative, which envisions full Armenian control over any road or railway that would link Nakhichevan to the rest of Azerbaijan through Armenia’s Syunik province.
“Armenia has submitted a number of proposals consistent with that vision, which could be acceptable to all sides,” Badalian said. “At the same time, international partners occasionally put forward their own ideas for normalizing Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, including reopening regional transport links.”
She noted that discussions with “all interested partners” are ongoing but did not elaborate on the U.S. offer.
Azerbaijan, for its part, has long insisted on an extraterritorial corridor—free from Armenian customs and border controls—linking it to Nakhichevan. This demand, strongly supported by Turkey, remains a major point of contention.
Late last month, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Istanbul. The meeting fueled speculation that Pashinyan might be preparing to make significant concessions on the corridor issue—especially after he remarked to members of Turkey’s Armenian community that Azerbaijan would label any road or railway a “corridor” regardless of who controls it.
Despite these comments, Armenian officials insist that Yerevan’s position has not changed. A senior government source stressed that any transport connection must remain fully under Armenian jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, Middle East Eye reported on Thursday that Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev are expected to meet later this month in Dubai to continue negotiations over a peace treaty first drafted in March.
According to the UK-based outlet, two sources familiar with the talks described the planned meeting as a “positive sign,” suggesting that both sides remain committed to dialogue despite persistent disagreements.
Pashinyan’s office has neither confirmed nor denied the Dubai summit, stating only that announcements regarding the prime minister’s foreign travel are made “in a timely and appropriate manner.”
