The signing of an agreement between Yerevan and Washington on the implementation of TRIPP does not mean that transport routes will begin operating in Armenia’s interests, former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said in an interview with RBC.
He stated that in order to achieve meaningful economic results, Yerevan should expand the scope of the project while reducing the risks associated with possible reactions from Iran, Sputnik Armenia reported.
According to Kocharyan, it is difficult to understand how a 42-kilometer railway segment has been transformed into a project of global significance. In his view, the implementation of the “Trump Route” initiative is primarily a strong public relations effort aimed at creating an atmosphere of tension and distrust between Armenia and Iran, while also sending a certain signal to Russia.
“We are talking about a road connecting Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan. Moreover, this issue was already reflected in Point 9 of the trilateral statement signed by Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on November 9, 2020. Now it has been given the name TRIPP and is accompanied by a large-scale promotional campaign,” Kocharyan said.
In his opinion, the project should have been expanded by extending infrastructure to the village of Yerask and involving additional international actors viewed by Iran as friendly partners.
“To reduce the risks of a negative reaction from Iran, Russia or China could have been involved in the project. Without abandoning cooperation with the U.S. and without affecting the American president’s pride, it would be possible to make the project more useful for Armenia while neutralizing potential risks,” he said.
Kocharyan stressed that any leader is obliged to assess the possible threats arising from decisions in advance and seek ways to minimize them.
He also argued that the U.S. needs TRIPP as a route for transporting resources from Central Asia, particularly rare earth elements, through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Europe to the United States.
According to Armenia’s second president, the total investment volume of the project is estimated at approximately $100 million to $150 million, with Armenia’s share accounting for around 26 percent.
Kocharyan further emphasized that implementation of the TRIPP project cannot yet guarantee the expected benefits for Armenia. He also drew attention to the relatively limited scale of trade and economic relations between Armenia and the United States.
In his view, Washington’s main interest is linked to the possibility of establishing a presence near the Armenian-Iranian border, since American military presence already exists in almost all other countries bordering Iran.
Earlier, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated during a press conference following Marco Rubio’s visit to Yerevan that Armenia and the United States plan to sign a final agreement on TRIPP in the coming weeks.
