Alexander Pracht
Armenia’s parliament on Wednesday ratified an agreement with the United States on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), with the opposition largely voting against it.
A total of 63 lawmakers voted in favor of ratification, while 32 voted against. None abstained, and 10 members of parliament were absent.
The opposition Armenia Alliance opposed ratification, while the Strong Armenia party said it did not object to TRIPP in principle but would support it only if its implementation began simultaneously with the signing of a comprehensive peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan told parliament on Tuesday that the project could be implemented before the peace treaty was finalized.
Agreed upon by Armenia and the United States last year, TRIPP is intended to establish a transport route connecting mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhichevan exclave through Armenia’s southern province of Syunik.
Also read: Russia-born U.S. entrepreneur with businesses in Armenia to head Washington’s TRIPP fund
Under the proposed arrangement, the United States would play a central role in developing and managing the route, while Armenia would retain sovereignty over the territory, including control of its borders and customs procedures. The project is expected to include rail and road links, with the possibility of additional infrastructure for energy and telecommunications.
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