By AZE.US
For Azerbaijan, the next concrete result of agreements on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity should be the start of construction on Armenian territory, Azerbaijani political analyst Rizvan Huseynov said.
Political statements and ratification of agreements are important, but Baku is primarily interested in the practical implementation of transport links with the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, Huseynov said in a Daily Europe Online interview reported by Vesti Baku.
He said procedural movement around TRIPP indicated that the project was entering its next phase. Huseynov stressed, however, that he was discussing an anticipated start to construction, not work already completed.
“I hope that in the near future we will witness actual construction. That is what is important for Azerbaijan,” Huseynov said.
He argued that domestic political disputes in Armenia should not become grounds for delaying transport agreements. The principal test for Baku, he said, would be whether Yerevan fulfills its commitments.
TRIPP Is Not Only About Trump
Huseynov rejected suggestions that a future change of power in the United States would automatically threaten the route. In his view, Washington’s interest reflects a longer-term goal of maintaining a presence in the South Caucasus and participating in international transport flows.
He described TRIPP as an interstate project rather than a personal initiative of U.S. President Donald Trump. U.S. political disagreements, he said, would not by themselves remove Washington’s interest in opportunities for influence in the region.
Huseynov added that major powers would remain interested in opening regional communications even if the format of U.S. participation changed.
Iran Route Does Not Replace Armenia Link
Asked why Azerbaijan sought a connection through Armenia when an alternative through Iran was available, Huseynov pointed to the economic value of maintaining multiple transport routes.
Different corridors can serve different markets and shippers, he said. Developing one route therefore does not make another unnecessary, while a broader logistics network can improve resilience and expand the number of partners interested in cooperation.
For Armenia, participation in regional transport projects offers a way out of isolation, Huseynov said. Rejecting that opportunity, he argued, could leave the country outside major regional flows.
Huseynov also said recent disagreements between Baku and Ankara had not affected their joint economic, transport and transit projects. He described the tension as part of coordinating the interests of two allies in a changing regional environment.
Armenia Starts Preparatory Design Work
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Nov. 2 that his government would begin commissioning design work for the railway, highway and power-transmission lines planned under TRIPP without waiting for the TRIPP Development Company to be established. He said the completed preparatory work would later be transferred to the company.
Armenia’s parliament ratified the U.S.-Armenia TRIPP framework agreement on Oct. 28. Physical construction of the Armenian section has not yet begun.
Source: Vesti Baku. Additional context: Armenpress.