Armenia is confident that with the launch of the “Trump route” (TRIPP – Zangezur corridor), a direct railway connection with Azerbaijan will be established within a few years.
Modern.az reports that this was stated by Armenia's Minister of Economy, Gevork Papoyan.
According to him, currently there is no active trade between the countries due to various objective reasons: the markets are still unfamiliar with each other, and establishing trade relations requires time, which is primarily the responsibility of the private sector and the business community. At the same time, the minister emphasized that the state fulfills its function by creating the necessary conditions: through political agreements, the opening of roads, and the activation of railway lines.
"We have already created a significant part of these conditions. Yes, for now there is no direct railway connection, but work is ongoing, and according to our calculations, this will be established in a few years, i.e., with the activation of TRIPP," Papoyan noted.
The minister added that alternative communication options could also be considered before this. He stated that the direct road connection is in force, but partners are not yet using Armenian territory for the transit of goods, including those destined for Turkey.
"This is a time-consuming and complex process," he emphasized.
Papoyan noted that the discussion agenda itself has shifted positively: “Just two years ago, everyone was talking about war potentially breaking out at any moment. But today, they are discussing why certain goods are not yet available or sold. And this is already a very good indicator.”
He recalled that amidst the initial signs of trade progress between Yerevan and Baku, two types of Azerbaijani goods – gasoline and diesel fuel – were imported into Armenia. However, the parties have already exchanged a large list of products and are awaiting a response from the business community.
G. Papoyan had previously stated that aluminum and aluminum foil, agricultural products (including livestock, fruits and vegetables, certain beverages, and textiles) are being considered as potential exports from Armenia to Azerbaijan.
It should be recalled that the Trump Road for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project initially envisages the construction of a 43-kilometer railway line connecting Azerbaijan with Nakhchivan and subsequently integrating into the North-South and East-West corridors. The “Trump route” envisages the creation of a company, with a majority stake owned by the United States, along with Armenia's control mechanisms over key issues. In the initial stage, a 74% stake is offered to the US, while Armenia has the right to own a 26% stake, with the possibility of increasing Armenia's share to 49% upon renewal of the agreement.
