Armenia highly interested in opening regional communications, deputy FM says

Armenia is highly interested in the opening of regional communications, Deputy Foreign Minister Vahan Kostanyan said, The Daily Baku informs via Armenian media.

Kostanyan said the TRIPP project could connect Armenia's southern part with its north through the Nakhchivan railway line.

The deputy minister noted that TRIPP was not only a link between Azerbaijan's mainland and Nakhchivan, but also a broader and strategic project aimed at connecting Central Asia with Europe and ensuring mutual benefits.

He said the unblocking of communications would create an opportunity to connect not only the East with the West, but also the Persian Gulf with the Black Sea, which would mark a major change for the entire region.

"We are very interested in implementing this project. Active negotiations are underway with our American partners on how to establish an Armenia-US joint venture in our country. We have already started not only preparing a feasibility study, but also directly building communications in the region. For example, after August 8, we had a precedent of importing Kazakh wheat through the railway routes of Azerbaijan and Georgia. This is a clear example of how regional cooperation can work and how the creation of mutual dependencies can contribute to stability and the establishment of peace," he said.

Kostanyan said direct bilateral trade had already begun, including fuel imports from Azerbaijan to Armenia, and expressed hope that the list of goods Armenia could export to Azerbaijan would be clarified soon.

He added that work is also underway to develop contacts between civil societies, including meetings of representatives not only abroad, but directly in both countries.

Kostanyan also emphasized the importance of the trilateral consultation format with Georgia and noted broad prospects for regional cooperation not only among the three states, but also in the wider neighborhood.