Ukraine, Gaza, tariffs and new geopolitical dynamics have not been the only elements present at the Chinese summit that has gathered about twenty world leaders. The South Caucasus has also sneaked into the agenda of the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (OCS), which has concluded this Monday in the Chinese port city of Tianjin. On the margins of the meeting, Armenian prime minister, Nikol Pashinián, has met separately with the president of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, and with the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. A new diplomatic movement that aims to reinforce the standardization path between Ereván and Baku, after it.
The face to face between Pashinián and Aliyev in China is the first since that covenant of the White House, which contemplates, among other measures, the opening of a strategic corridor in the south of Armenia – already banned as “Trump corridor” – which would allow connecting the main territory of Azerbaiyan with its exclave of Najicheván without formally breaking the Armenian sovereignty.
According to the communications released on Monday from Ereván and Baku, cited by EFE, both leaders underlined the “positive dynamics” of normalization and agreed on the need to maintain a “constructive dialogue, based on mutual trust and regional stability.”
The meeting, brief but symbolic, served to stage that, despite historical misgivings and the still recent fighting in Nagorno Karabaj, a territory that until last year was populated by Armenians to which Azerbaiyan expelled because legally the enclave is part of his country ,.
Ankara’s role was reinforced in the second of the meetings held by Pashinián, this time with Erdogan. Türkiye, the main ally of Azerbaijan, has become a key piece to unlock resistance and contribute to a climate of trust. According to the Armenian government’s note, both leaders highlighted the importance of “taking firm steps towards stability and peace in the region”, as well as “maintaining a constructive approach that foster regional communication.”
The direct interlocution between Pashinián and Erdogan represents a relevant turn in a historically marked relationship by the closure of borders and the absence of diplomatic ties, a consequence of the Armenian issue and of Turkish military support to Azerbaijan in the successive conflicts in Karabaj. Although concrete measures have not been announced after the Tianjin meeting, the mere photo of both leaders contributes to the perception that the peace process in the South Caucasus is acquiring a new dimension.
Assignments
The scenario is not exempt from obstacles. The opening of the Transit Corridor to Najicheván is seen by many sectors in Armenia as a dangerous assignment, while in Azerbaijan there is pressure so that progress translates rapidly in tangible results. Türkiye, meanwhile, seeks to capitalize on his role as a mediator and consolidate his influence in the region, while balancing his strategic relationship with Russia and his commitments in NATO.
The coincidence of these meetings with the OCS summit is not accidental. The forum, led by China and Russia, has served as showcase to project an Eurasia in which historical conflicts can be resolved under a multipolarity prism and far from the exclusive mediation of the West. Tianjin’s meeting has also served as a platform for Armenia and Pakistan (traditional Azerbaijan ally) to formalize their diplomatic relations after years of tensions, as the two governments have reported.
