Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has outlined the TRIPP railway route in parliament, addressing its economic and regional significance.
“TRIPP will run through Nrnadzor-Agarak, along Armenia’s southern border, on the banks of the Araks River, following the well-known line that existed during the Soviet era. Through Azerbaijan, this railway will connect Armenia with Russia and Central Asia. Enormous volumes of freight, particularly from East to West, will be transported this way, passing through TRIPP’s Nrnadzor-Agarak railway,” Pashinyan said.
According to him, freight from Agarak will enter Nakhichevan, and managing this process is of essential importance for Armenia. Pashinyan recalled that during the Soviet era, the railway from Nakhichevan entered Armenia through the settlement of Yeraskh in Ararat Province, continued to Akhurik in Shirak Province and then crossed into Turkey.
The prime minister said international investors, encouraged by the TRIPP project, had now begun looking for alternatives that bypass the Yeraskh-Akhurik railway section. According to Pashinyan, this has become a problem for Armenia because the country was losing substantial revenues, potential, and jobs. In this situation, the prime minister identified one key issue: this section of the railway was under Russian railway management, while the West had problems with Russia.
“They believe they are taking a risk by transporting freight along such a route. We have no problem with the Armenian railway being under Russian railway management, but we cannot afford to lose this historic opportunity. We respect Russia and its interests, but because Armenia’s railway is under Russian management, we now face the risk of losing this historic opportunity to integrate Armenia into the international railway network,” Pashinyan said.
He also stressed that, although the initiative is unrelated to TRIPP, a railway connection would also open between the Persian Gulf and Black Sea, passing through Iran, Georgia, Nakhichevan and Armenia.
“This is an epoch-making change for Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Iran,” Pashinyan said, stressing that it would become one of the important accompanying outcomes of regional unblocking. (Panam)