AZE.US
Armenia may route oil and gas pipelines planned under the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity through areas outside the southern alignment proposed for a future railway, Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan said on Oct. 21.
Mirzoyan made the remarks while presenting the TRIPP framework agreement to the Armenian parliament’s Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, according to APA. He stressed that the final location of the infrastructure has not been approved.
Narrow Southern Section Complicates Design
Mirzoyan said the space between the Aras River and nearby cliffs along the southern section is too narrow to accommodate a railway and every planned pipeline on a single alignment.
He said the railway and electricity transmission lines could cross southern Armenia along routes used during the Soviet period, while oil and gas pipelines could be placed in other parts of the country.
The comments describe a possible engineering option rather than a final routing decision.
Connection Between Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan
TRIPP is intended to establish a transport link between mainland Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic through Armenia. The United States and Armenia announced the framework agreement in May. Reuters reported that the proposed transit section across southern Armenia is about 43 kilometers (27 miles) long.
Changes to the route for energy infrastructure could affect the project’s design, cost and construction schedule. The agreement is expected to go before a plenary session of Armenia’s parliament on Oct. 27 after committee consideration.
The original Russian-language report is available from Vesti Baku.