Secretary of the Russian Security Council Sergey Shoigu commented on Armenia's proposal to concede the management of its railway to a third country to prevent problems in the implementation of regional transport projects. He condemned Nikol Pashinyan's proposal to sell the Armenian railways, which are on Russia's balance sheet, to a third party friendly to both countries.
Shoigu called the Armenian authorities' desire a "poorly thought-out" decision and stated that if such a step were taken, the existing system could collapse overnight.
In a statement to Modern.az, Mushfig Jafarov, a member of the Milli Majlis Committee on Economic Policy, Industry, and Entrepreneurship, stated that Armenia is trying to participate in international communication projects:
“Yerevan, which has been excluded from all projects for many years, has proposed to Russia to concede the management of the Armenian railway to a third country to prevent problems in the implementation of regional transport projects.
It is no coincidence that the Prime Minister named Kazakhstan, the UAE, and Qatar among the possible candidates as countries maintaining good relations with both Armenia and Russia. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's proposal for Russia to sell the concession management of the republic's railways to a country friendly to Yerevan and Moscow is, in fact, an attempt to resolve the issue with soft rhetoric.
Generally, control over the railway line between these two countries could also have been entrusted to South Caucasus countries, but Russia's relations with the states of the region are currently not good. There is also a certain cooling in Azerbaijan-Russia relations. However, Moscow is unwilling to make any concessions.
As Nikol Pashinyan also noted, Armenia is losing strategic and competitive advantages due to the management of its railways by Russia.
The Russian side, however, called the proposals regarding the transfer of Armenian railways to a third country "unacceptable." According to Moscow's position, both sides remain committed to their existing obligations, and no changes in this direction are on the agenda”.
According to the MP, the continued management of Armenian railways under Russian control will not affect the process of opening communication lines in the region:
“The direct and primary impact of this situation will be directed more towards Armenia itself. Currently, Russia acts as a factor objectively limiting Armenia's potential transit capabilities.
In fact, Moscow's position stems from its strategy to preserve its influence in the South Caucasus. Communication networks do not only mean trade but also carry the meaning of political influence. The extent to which Armenia can protect its sovereign decision-making capabilities in railway management is a debatable issue. I believe that Russia will maintain its radical stance on this matter, as it does on other issues”.
Transport expert Rauf Agamirzayev noted that the control of Armenian railways by Russia has no impact on the Zangezur corridor:
“The concession of Armenian railways is Armenia's internal matter. The concession period is from 2008 to 2038. This period can be extended by 10 years if agreed upon. Yes, the Armenian government has voiced new conditions. What decision Armenia will make at this moment is already its internal affair. In general, the control of railways by Russia has no connection with the Zangezur corridor. The section where the Zangezur corridor is located was under the jurisdiction of the Azerbaijan railway during the Soviet era. Currently, within the framework of the TRIPP project, that corridor will be restored by Armenia and the USA. In short, Russia's control over Armenian railways has no specific impact on the section where the Zangezur corridor is located. However, the inclusion of the general network within Russian Railways will be regulated by Armenian legislation”.
R. Agamirzayev explained the reasons behind Armenia's concession proposal regarding its railways as follows:
“There are expectations for restoration works in certain directions in Armenia. These are the Gyumri-Kars, Yeraskh-Sadarak, and Gazakh-Ijevan directions. Naturally, no real work is currently being done in these directions. All discussions are currently focused on these issues. Due to the lack of progress, the Armenian side had stated that friendly countries could take over the concession. The mention of Kazakhstan, Qatar, and the UAE here is not accidental”.
