Azerbaijan does not intend to take military action to create a land corridor to the Nakhchivan enclave through Armenia, the Azeri president’s foreign policy adviser assured today.

Last week’s military operation in which the Azerbaijanis took control of the mountainous enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh has fueled fears in Armenia that Baku may use force to create a “corridor” to Nakhchivan.

But Hikmet Hajiyev, an adviser to President Ilham Aliyev, said Baku only wants to establish transport links through Armenia, which he said would benefit both countries and the wider region.

“Azerbaijan has no military goals for the territories of Armenia, this is (…) outside the agenda of Azerbaijan,” he told Reuters.

“Our proposal to Armenia is about building connectivity lines, transportation corridors, in a very peaceful way,” he added.

Yesterday Aliyev, in the meeting he had in Nakhchivan with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, hinted at the creation of such a land corridor through which Azerbaijan would gain a direct connection with its close ally, Turkey.

A Telegram channel linked to Karabakh Armenians called the “Republic of Artsakh” called Aliyev’s statements “ominous”.

“Azerbaijan and Turkey’s new target is Syunik (the southern Armenian province through which such a corridor would pass). Already, they are openly proclaiming it. War preparations are underway,” the channel added.