THE STRATEGIC AND GEOPOLITICAL IMPORTANCE OF THE ZANGEZUR CORRIDOR

Öz

Throughout history, the South Caucasus has served as a strategic bridge connecting the economic and political systems of Eastern and Western civilizations. Its strategic location between the Caspian and Black Seas makes the region extremely important geopolitically. Recently revitalized by Eurasian connectivity projects such as the East-West and Central Corridors, the region aims to increase intercontinental trade and energy exchange. This line, which will be approximately 40 kilometers long when completed, will not only directly connect the Turkic world but will also become part of a larger route extending from Central Asia and China to Türkiye and then to Europe. Despite its importance, the Zangezur Corridor does not mean the same thing for every state in the region. For Armenia, it is seen as a revenue-generating project that threatens its sovereignty and territorial integrity, while for Russia and Iran, it represents a strategic transit route that could weaken their current regional influence and transit dominance. For Türkiye and Azerbaijan, it stands out as a major step that will strengthen energy security by providing direct connections to all Turkic states. Therefore, the Zangezur Corridor is more than just an infrastructure project; Economic integration will be a strategic tool at the intersection of regional power balances and global connectivity competition. This study examines the strategic and geopolitical consequences of the Zangezur Corridor using a qualitative method. In this context, by analyzing official policy documents, academic books and articles, institutional reports, and regional media sources, it reveals how the corridor transformed from an ordinary regional transportation initiative into a central axis of Eurasian geopolitics, from a strategic and geopolitical perspective.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• South Caucasus
• Zangezur Corridor
• Zangezur Geopolitics
• Eurasian Transportation Corridors
• Middle Corridor

ZENGEZUR KORİDORUNUN STRATEJİK VE JEOPOLİTİK ÖNEMİ

Öz

Tarih boyunca Güney Kafkasya, Doğu ve Batı medeniyetlerinin ekonomik ve siyasi sistemlerini birbirine bağlayan stratejik bir köprü olmuştur. Hazar ve Karadeniz arasında stratejik bir noktada yer alması, bölgeyi jeopolitik açıdan son derece önemli kılmaktadır. Son dönemde Doğu-Batı ve Orta Koridor gibi Avrasya bağlantı projeleriyle yeniden canlanan bölge kıtalararası ticaret ve enerji alışverişini artırmayı hedeflemektedir. Hayata geçtiğinde yaklaşık 40 kilometre uzunluğunda olacak olan bu hat, Türk dünyasını doğrudan birbirine bağlamakla kalmayacak, Orta Asya ve Çin’den Türkiye’ye, oradan da Avrupa’ya uzanan daha büyük bir rotanın parçası haline gelecektir. Bu önemine rağmen Zengezur Koridoru, bölgedeki her devlet için aynı anlama gelmemektedir. Öyle ki Ermenistan için egemenlik ve toprak bütünlüğünü tehdit eden buna karşılık gelir getirici bir proje olarak görülürken, Rusya ve İran için mevcut bölgesel nüfuzlarını ve transit üstünlüklerini zayıflatabilecek bir stratejik geçiş yolu olmaktadır. Türkiye ve Azerbaycan açısından ise tüm Türk devletlerine doğrudan bağlantı sağlayarak enerji güvenliğini pekiştirecek büyük bir adım olarak ön plana çıkmaktadır. Bu nedenle Zengezur Koridoru, bir altyapı projesinin ötesinde; ekonomik bütünleşme, bölgesel güç dengeleri ve küresel bağlantı rekabetinin kesişim noktasında stratejik bir araç olacaktır. Bu çalışma, Zengezur Koridoru’nun stratejik ve jeopolitik sonuçlarını nitel bir yöntemle incelemektedir. Bu kapsamda Resmi politika belgeleri, akademik kitaplar ve makaleler, kurumsal raporlar ile bölgesel medya kaynaklarını ele alarak, koridorun nasıl sıradan bir bölgesel ulaşım girişimi olmaktan çıkıp Avrasya jeopolitiğinin merkezî eksenine dönüştüğünü stratejik ve jeopolitik bakış açısıyla ortaya koymaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Güney Kafkasya
• Zengezur Koridoru
• Zengezur Jeopolitiği
• Avrasya Ulaşım Koridorları
• Orta Koridor

Etik Beyan

Çalışmanın araştırma kısmında etik kurul izni gerektirecek bir husus bulunmamaktadır

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