Yerevan /Mediamax/. Official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said today that “Armenia’s overly emotional negative reaction to the journalist’s statements about the Zangezur corridor aired on Russian TV causes bewilderment.”

“We have always heard from Yerevan that Armenia is committed to freedom of speech, and all the more so the current Armenian leadership has made this its imperative. This is firstly, and secondly, our official position is well known to Yerevan, we have repeatedly voiced its essence,” TASS quoted Zakharova as saying.

The diplomat recalled that “the Russian side has consistently advocated the comprehensive unblocking of all transport and economic links in the South Caucasus based on trilateral agreements reached at the highest level.”

 “All economic and transport links in the region are unblocked. The Republic of Armenia provides transport links between the western regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic in order to organize the unimpeded movement of citizens, vehicles and goods in both directions. Transport control is exercised by the bodies of the Border Guard Service of the Federal Security Service of Russia. By the agreement of the parties, construction of new transport communications linking the Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic with the western regions of Azerbaijan will be ensured,” Zakharova quoted the 9th provision of the joint statement of the leaders of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia signed on November 9, 2020.

“This is the logic behind the activities of the trilateral working group co-chaired by the deputy prime ministers of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. The group has achieved significant practical results, and we have come close to restoring the organization of railway communication between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The trilateral working group never discussed the creation of any extraterritorial corridors in Armenia. On the contrary, it was agreed that the countries have sovereignty and jurisdiction over the routes passing through their territories,” the Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson said.

Zakharova expressed regret that “due to the West’s destructive influence on the decisions made by the Armenian side, the work of the trilateral working group has stalled.”