Armenia, U.S. generate content of TRIPP project

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that his administration has been working with the U.S. towards detailed development of the TRIPP project. 

PM Pashinyan told reporters on Thursday that the process is currently in the phase of detailed development.

“We are now working on generating the content of the project. Various components are on the table and need to be combined into a single document. This is a normal working process for any major project,” the Prime Minister said at a press briefing. 

According to him, there is often a misunderstanding in Armenia about development or infrastructure projects when people think construction should start immediately after the announcement has been made.

“We often think that when we say ‘Trump Route,’ everyone should be on excavators the next day, ready to start building. But any project begins with detailed planning, calculations, and preparing the necessary documents,” he said.

Pashinyan reiterated that the “Trump Route” initiative is based on the principles enshrined in the Washington peace declaration: territorial integrity, sovereignty, jurisdiction, reciprocity, and the inviolability of borders.

“Any solution cannot go beyond the boundaries established in that declaration. Both sides have agreed that work must proceed as quickly as possible,” the Prime Minister said.
He emphasized that the pace of the process is somewhat influenced by international developments.

“On August 8 in Washington, we reached an agreement with the United States. Shortly afterward, tensions arose around Ukraine and the Middle East, where President Trump and his administration were directly involved. The same people and teams are also working on this project. These realities somewhat affect the pace of the process,” he said.

The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) is a connectivity project in Armenia envisaged under the U.S.-brokered Armenian-Azerbaijani joint declaration signed in Washington, D.C. The project is expected to unlock strategic economic opportunities that will create long term benefits by promoting infrastructure investment and enhancing regional connectivity.