On August 8, after the signing of the Joint Declaration between the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and the US in Washington, processes in the region have accelerated.
The document states that Yerevan will cooperate with the US and mutually identified third parties to establish a framework for the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) connectivity project on the territory of Armenia. "We affirm our determination to make good faith efforts to achieve this goal as soon as possible," the leaders declared.
Currently, officials from Baku, Yerevan, and Washington are discussing practical steps for the implementation of the TRIPP project (Zangezur corridor). US officials are making consecutive visits to the region, and it is reported that technical details, including the exact configuration of the route, are being discussed with the parties.
It should be noted that various figures are being voiced regarding the length of the corridor. US Ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrak, stated in July that the road is 32 kilometers long, while official statements indicate the road is 42–43.5 km, and some Armenian and foreign sources even mention 26 kilometers.
Modern.az has conducted research on this topic.
The primary reason for the varying figures regarding the Zangezur corridor is the existence of different approaches concerning the route of this road. Thus, some consider the TRIPP/Zangezur corridor to refer only to the section passing through Armenian territory. Others calculate the entire Nakhchivan–Zangilan main line, meaning the entire route. Still others measure it along the Soviet-era railway line.
Let's start by saying that the claim of 26 kilometers is entirely incorrect. It can be assumed that some experts based this figure on measurements taken from maps, without considering the geographical conditions of the region.
Tom Barrak's claim of 32 kilometers also does not align with the geographical conditions of the region. It is presumed that this figure is a political-technical assessment regarding the length of the overall corridor that will pass through Armenian territory.
Currently, the most realistic figure regarding the Zangezur corridor is 42–43.5 km. Rizvan Nabiyev, a Member of Parliament and Doctor of Political Sciences, who gave a statement to Modern.az on the topic, shares the same opinion.
He states that, although there are various pieces of information regarding the exact length of the corridor, it is mostly reported to be between 42-44 kilometers. The MP stated that the Zangezur corridor, in a geographical sense, starts from East Zangezur:
“The term Zangezur corridor was first used by President Ilham Aliyev after our glorious victory and thus entered the international political lexicon. This idea was voiced with the aim of ensuring unhindered communication between Azerbaijan's western territories and its Nakhchivan region, by opening this corridor in a short period and ensuring passage".
Rizvan Nabiyev reminded that, after the Washington agreements of August 8, a parallel name for the Zangezur corridor – the 'Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity' (TRIPP) – is being used.
"This section specifically passes through Armenian territory, connecting Azerbaijan's Aghband settlement with the Salammalik station in Ordubad. From a geographical point of view, this corridor actually starts from East Zangezur. That is, it is a distance extending from Azerbaijan's Ahmadbayli settlement, passing through Horadiz, up to Aghband, to the conditional border with Armenia. Today, in both a classical and political sense, the Zangezur corridor or TRIPP route overlap. In the territory of Nakhchivan, it connects an area of approximately 188 kilometers. In the next stage, the Armenian side plans to extend it from Arazdayan to the capital Yerevan”.
The MP emphasized that, one can consider distinguishing the term Zangezur corridor as a geographical concept and a political-legal concept:
“In a geographical sense, the Zangezur corridor starts from Ahmadbayli or Horadiz and extends to the Salammalik station in Ordubad city, Nakhchivan. This expression can be considered. Because from a geographical perspective, there is considerable truth in this idea. As for the political and legal aspects of the issue, discussions can be held at the expert level or on another platform. In any case, the Zangezur corridor, an important segment of the Middle Corridor, if we express it by referring to President Ilham Aliyev's words, connects continents and will bring dividends to states located in the north, south, east, and west".
