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The locations of the infrastructure planned under the TRIPP project have not yet been determined. Consequently, it is not possible at this stage to specify the exact sizes of the land plots to be allocated for them, Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ararat Mirzoyan told lawmakers.
Responding to questions from opposition Armenia faction MP Kristine Vardanyan at a parliamentary committee hearing on the bill to ratify the Framework Agreement between the Republic of Armenia and the United States of America on Strategic Cooperation Concerning the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), Mirzoyan said the possible route of the Meghri railway and the routes of a gas pipeline or an oil pipeline do not necessarily have to coincide.
The MP asked how specifically the reciprocal benefits envisaged by the agreement are set out in the documents, whether the same arrangements would also apply to transport links in the Yeraskh direction, and where the project’s various infrastructure facilities would be located.
“We are talking about a railway, a road, a gas pipeline, an oil pipeline, and electricity transmission infrastructure within the framework of TRIPP. Will all of these be located in one place, or will they be spread throughout Syunik, for example, or elsewhere? This leads to the following question: what is the width of TRIPP? When we talk about TRIPP, we know its length, but what is its width? Can we understand what area we are talking about?” Vardanyan asked.
Mirzoyan replied that, in the case of the Meghri railway, the physical characteristics of the terrain leave little room for choice. The railway would run through a narrow strip between a river and cliffs, where a railway previously operated. However, he expressed doubt that an oil pipeline and a gas pipeline could also be accommodated in the same location.
The minister also stressed that other infrastructure would not necessarily be confined to Syunik. As a hypothetical example, he mentioned the possibility of an oil pipeline running through northern Armenia. At the same time, he emphasized that the locations of these facilities had not yet been determined.
Vardanyan clarified that her question about the size of the land area concerned the land-use rights to be granted to the future company. She said it was necessary to understand which areas were envisaged for allocation, particularly if different infrastructure facilities were to follow different routes.
Responding to Vardanyan, Mirzoyan said that the development company had not yet been established and that no decisions specifying the exact coordinates of the infrastructure had been approved by Armenia. According to him, even if the railway’s possible location could be identified approximately, that would not be sufficient to specify the size of the land to be allocated.
The minister said that the land-use rights and relevant documents would be published and that, once more specific decisions were available, it would be possible to discuss the size of the land areas in greater detail.
Addressing the reciprocal benefits, Mirzoyan said that just as Azerbaijan would have the opportunity to connect with Nakhchivan and third countries through Armenian territory, Armenia would also be able to use Azerbaijan’s territory and infrastructure for domestic transport links and connections with third countries. He cited railway connectivity from Yeraskh to Meghri as an example.
Vardanyan also asked why the “front office-back office” model for border services was necessary if Armenia’s sovereignty and jurisdiction were to be fully preserved.
According to Mirzoyan, the purpose of the model was to speed up the passage of passengers and cargo and facilitate service delivery. He also pointed to the psychological sensitivities that persisted after the conflict, noting that, initially, direct interaction between Armenian and Azerbaijani citizens and officials of the other country’s state agencies could create certain difficulties.
The minister stressed, however, that this was only one of the factors explaining the need for the model. He said modern equipment and digital solutions made it possible to improve controls while reducing the need for physical interaction.
Mirzoyan emphasized that regardless of which operator provided direct services or which technical solutions were used, decisions would be made by the relevant Armenian state service.
“Decision-making takes place in the ‘back office.’ In the ‘back office’—the back room—an official or employee of the relevant service of the Republic of Armenia will make the decision, including intervening if necessary. Such cases can occur at any border crossing,” the minister explained.
He added that, at present, there was no more detailed technical description of the model beyond what was set out in the documents.
Addressing Vardanyan’s question about a "special regime", Mirzoyan insisted that the document did not establish any such regime and that Armenia’s full sovereignty and jurisdiction would be maintained in the relevant areas.
During the discussion, the MP also asked whether stops were envisaged: would it be possible to board the railway within Armenian territory as a passenger or use it to transport cargo, or would transportation take place only from east to west across Armenia, without stops?
Mirzoyan said the issue of stops had not yet been discussed or addressed in any way. However, based on the project’s concept, he outlined examples of how stops might be useful.
According to the minister, Armenia could send its cargo by rail toward Nakhchivan and from there continue transportation to Yeraskh or via a railway connection with Iran. In the other direction, it would be possible to connect through Azerbaijan with Central Asia, China and other countries, depending on the cargo and economic feasibility.
The minister described the prospect of establishing a railway connection with Iran as a historic opportunity for Armenia.
Mirzoyan noted that efforts to facilitate border crossings were not limited to the Azerbaijani direction. Armenia was pursuing similar processes with Georgia and Iran as well.
“We are not doing this only with Azerbaijan. We are making our crossings with Georgia easier and more convenient, and we are making our crossings with the Islamic Republic of Iran easier. I hope that one day our land borders with the Republic of Türkiye will also open, and at some point we will consider how to make life easier for businesses and citizens there as well,” Mirzoyan said.