Armenia’s President Wants to ‘Open Gates of Syunik’ for Country’s ‘Development’

President Vahagn Khachatryan visits the Kapan Airport in Armenia’s Syunik Province on Jul. 29

At a time when Baku continues to pressure and threaten Yerevan to agree to a “corridor” through Armenia, President Vahagn Khachatryan insisted that opening the “Gates of Syunik” will give Armenia “great opportunities in terms of development.”

“If we can open the gates of Syunik—I mean the entire 43 kilometers—then will can be sure that the future will give us great opportunities in terms of development,” Khachatryan said while visiting Armenia’s southern-most province on Tuesday.

He touted Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s so-called “Crossroads of Peace” program, saying that it has been well-received by the international community.

“When you put what is actually there on the table and visualize those possibilities, we can understand how important these 43 kilometers and Syunik are,” Khachatryan said, emphasizing that Yerevan’s ultimate goal is to sign the peace agreement with Azerbaijan “as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, Iran, which shares its only border with Armenia at the Syunik Province, is sounding the alarm about the potential loss of Syunik and the grave threats to its—and Armenia’s—national security.