Turkey proposed Armenia to take part in its comprehensive regional transportation project

Turkey has proposed that Armenia take part in its comprehensive regional transportation project linking Europe to Asia, if there are concrete developments in solving Nagorno-Karabakh dispute with Azerbaijan, reflecting a political will to build a win-win situation for all countries in the southern Caucasus in a post-conflict era.

Turkey’s recent move to reconcile with Armenia was nixed due to strong Azeri reaction in 2010, which caused suspension of the ratification of two key protocols for establishing diplomatic relations and opening the sealed borders. Turkey has since re-focused on seeking ways to activate the almost futile Minsk Group, under the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), for pushing Azerbaijan and Armenia to agree on a peace plan.

Within this framework, Turkey introduced its Integrated Transportation Corridors Project to the Minsk Group on Nov. 8, 2012 during a meeting in Vienna attended by three co-chair countries, France, Russia and the United States. “It has received a positive response from all Minsk Group countries,” sources told the Daily News. “We have made clear to them this project is aiming at creating a peace perspective to the benefit of all relevant parties.”

Adapted from: Vestnik Kavkaza