US Plans Manage Armenia-Azerbaijan Zangezur Corridor

The United States has proposed managing a strategic 32-kilometer transport corridor running through Armenia's Syunik province that would link Azerbaijan to its Nakhchivan exclave, a move aimed at facilitating regional transit and advancing peace talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed Armenia has received this offer, which involves a 100-year lease allowing both sides shared access, as stated by US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack. The corridor, often referred to by Azerbaijan as the Zangezur Corridor, remains a major sticking point in finalizing a peace agreement, with Azerbaijan insisting it should not be controlled solely by Armenia due to concerns over potential access restrictions. Armenia opposes ceding full control of the corridor to any party, complicating negotiations. The US proposal is intended to serve as a neutral guarantor to resolve the decade-long dispute over this critical transit route, which is seen as key to regional economic development and integration. Both countries have made progress on a draft peace treaty, but the corridor's status continues to pose significant diplomatic challenges.