News - Samvel Babayan: Georgia, Iran will become Armenia's enemy, it will be under blockade if Meghri road is opened

We have no wish to lead the region into a major war, whereas what they are doing knowingly or unknowingly, whether Russia or us, is leading the region to war. Samvel Babayan, former Secretary of the Security Council and former Minister of Defense of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), stated this in an interview with Armenian News-NEWS.am. "When [US Secretary of State] Blinken and the Turkish foreign minister talk about creating a single union of the countries of Central Asia and the Caucasus, they take out a market of 85 million people from under Russia, the borders of NATO come, reach all the way to Uzbekistan, and it is clear where they are taking. What will happen to Armenia there? Armenia needs to decide. Russia is right. They saying there are two options, but I believe that the third option is the right one, it must act in its own interest with both. Some [people] think that we [i.e. Armenia] should go, enter that union, build a logistic road through [Armenia’s] Meghri [city], and participate in that whole economic movement, try to integrate into that organization, which is in our interests. We are opposed by Iran, which says ‘it is not in my interests, it is a red line to me.’ And I say: in 1989 you violated our red line, now we are violating it? You don't like it, do you? Well, if you don't like it, Iran should open its borders for the goods of Armenia so we can conduct trade. Armenia is losing what it should have earned through the Meghri road, you must compensate for it, you must open your market," said Babayan. He recalled that during the 44-day war in 2020, Georgia had prohibited even bringing rescue vehicles to Armenia. "By opening that road, we are zeroing as well the position of Georgia. Forty to 45 percent of Georgia's budget comes from the transit of oil, [natural] gas, and other goods. If we give the Meghri road, it reduces the length of the road by 30 percent, it is a smoother road. Armenia is given money for transit on the territory of 43 kilometers, and on the territory of Georgia—for 460 kilometers. Russia says: ‘I am weak now, give me a place there, I will work as a guard on that road until we see what will happen,"’ said Babayan. To the question of what status that road will have and whether there will be Russian border guards there, Samvel Babayan responded: "It will be our transit, sovereign territory. Here the matter is something [else]. There was a railway there, but there was no motorway; we have to build it anew. Azerbaijan says, ‘Let's build a car road.’ Armenia should clarify its position. If Armenia chooses the Russia-Georgia, the Armenia-Iran road instead of the Turkey-Armenia-Azerbaijan road, then Azerbaijan says: ‘You will give the four villages immediately.’ Then it will put the issue of enclaves, and the tension will continue. If we choose the second option, we automatically remain in the blockade. Today, Azerbaijan should not want for a guarantee from us on how it will pass 43 kilometers in our territory, but we should want from them a guarantee on how our vehicles, our citizens, will pass 600 kilometers on their territory. If we go with this option, Georgia will become our enemy; so will Iran. In that case a question arises: through where are we going to move ? Now if we don't realize this, it will lead to war. Central Asia and the Caucasus is a market of 85 million [people], which now they are taking out from under Russia, with all its riches."