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Ruben Rubinyan, Vice Speaker of Parliament representing the ruling Civil Contract party, stated that the participation of Russia and Türkiye in the TRIPP project is not being discussed.
“You may have seen that a document was recently published outlining the principles on which the TRIPP company will be established. Let me remind you—it is an Armenian-American company, and in this regard, participation by another country is not planned. However, if we are talking about deriving broader benefits from the TRIPP project, then, of course, Azerbaijan, Türkiye, Georgia, Iran, Russia, the Central Asian countries, European countries, and so on will also benefit,” Rubinyan said at a press briefing when asked about third-party participation, namely Russia or Türkiye.
According to him, with the launch of TRIPP and unblocking, Armenia will gain a rail connection with Iran, Russia, and Russia with Türkiye, and so on.
He added that the recently published Implementation Framework clearly shows that there will be no extraterritorial corridor.
“Let me remind you of the concerns that have arisen over the past five years. They have centered on three main issues: whether a third country will ensure security, whether proper passport and customs procedures will be in place, and whether Armenian border guards will be present. This document clearly states in black and white that security will be maintained by the relevant Armenian authorities, that proper passport and customs procedures will be implemented, and that Armenian border guards, along with representatives of other relevant agencies, will be physically present at the respective passport and customs posts. It is emphasized repeatedly that everything will take place within the framework of Armenia’s territorial integrity, sovereignty, and jurisdiction. For particularly skeptical observers, it is explicitly stated that sovereign functions will not be outsourced. Therefore, it is impossible to see a corridor here,” Rubinyan emphasized.