State Dept. Has ‘No Information’ About Reported U.S. Proposal to Control Land ‘Corridor’

The State Department on Thursday said it has “no information” regarding a U.S. proposal to manage a road through Armenia, connecting Azerbaijan to Nakhichevan.

An article published last week on the website of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace suggested that the Trump Administration “appears to push forward” a plan that will have an American company control the traffic and cargo movement on a “corridor” through Armenia that will connect Azerbaijan to Nakhichevan.

“The United States supports efforts to promote peace and stability in the South Caucasus. We have no information to share regarding the referenced press reports,” a US State Department spokesperson said in response to a query from the Armenpress news agency.

Azerbaijani media reported Wednesday that such a “corridor,” which is being pushed by Baku and supported by Ankara was a topic of discussion between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan when they met in Abu Dhabi.

Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mnatsakan Safaryan told Azatutyun.am on Wednesday that Yerevan does not oppose “outsourcing” certain functions to a licensed international company.

Safaryan confirmed that outsourcing such functions is a subject of discussion for Armenia but emphasized that it must comply with the principles Armenia has repeatedly stated.

“That process must be implemented under Armenia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and jurisdiction,” Safaryan said.

When asked about U.S. proposals to Armenia and Azerbaijan regarding opening of transport routes, Safaryan noted that various countries have made proposals which are currently under discussion. He declined to name them.

“Several such proposals are under discussion. They could be considered if they align with Armenia’s interests and with the principles Armenia has announced as part of Crossroads of Peace,” Safaryan said.

Armenia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ani Badalyan on Thursday went on record to “clarify” Safaryan’s statement, saying that “some media outlets and social media users have distorted the topic, are circulating misleading headlines and are contributing to an unfounded public narrative – particularly in light of recent talks held in Abu Dhabi.”

“Safaryan reiterated that Armenia’s position is grounded in key principles such as sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national jurisdiction. He emphasized that any proposals or solutions discussed in this context must fully align with these core values, leaving no room for misinterpretation,” Badalyan explained.

She emphasized that Safaryan firmly rejected any notion or terminology suggesting “control” over transit routes by a third party, underscoring that such an idea is unacceptable and contradicts Armenia’s position.