Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Vartan Oskanian has accused Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan of agreeing to the so-called “corridor” project through Armenia’s Syunik Province during a recent meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Abu Dhabi. In a Facebook post, Oskanian claimed the meeting’s vague diplomatic language hides a damaging concession.
“Despite being wrapped in vague diplomatic language and carefully worded statements, the consequences are becoming clear. It is evident that Pashinyan has agreed to a ‘corridor’—a project running through Syunik, effectively transferring sovereign control of Armenian territory to an external power,” Oskanian wrote.
He described the move as a strategic and political capitulation, undermining Armenia’s territorial integrity and deepening the fragility of its statehood.
According to Oskanian, Pashinyan is now in Brussels and Paris, seeking Western support for this problematic deal. “No Western smile or staged photo op can change the core of this initiative,” he stated, calling the agreement “a disaster for Armenia’s long-term sovereignty and national security.”
Oskanian dismissed any notion that Pashinyan’s actions stem from a vision of peace or regional reconciliation, calling them “cynical and deeply personal.” He argued the real motive is securing a peace agreement with Azerbaijan before the 2026 elections, regardless of the cost.
“He is ready to sacrifice not only land but dignity, justice, and the historical memory of the Armenian people,” he warned. “What he calls ‘peace’ is not a diplomatic achievement but a document certifying state failure: failure to defend Artsakh, to protect Armenian lives, and to uphold national interests.”
Even if the agreement offers temporary calm—something Oskanian doubts—it cannot offset the territorial, human, and moral losses already suffered. He concluded that under Pashinyan’s leadership, Armenia has experienced its greatest national disaster in modern history, losing land, strategic depth, and international credibility.
“Whatever the coming months bring, one thing is clear and inevitable: the current government must play no role in shaping Armenia’s future. They have proven time and again that they are incapable of leading the Armenian people,” the statement reads.
Prime Minister’s spokesperson Nazeli Baghdasaryan has responded by stating that Armenia is discussing regional infrastructure unblocking solely within the framework of its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and jurisdiction. She denied that Armenia has ever discussed transferring control of its territory to any third party, responding specifically to remarks by the U.S. ambassador to Turkey regarding a possible lease of Armenian land for the so-called 'Zangezur Corridor.'
