Pashinyan on Azerbaijan Moving Weapons and Troops Through Syunik to Nakhchivan

“Everything within the framework of the ‘Trump Route’ should be based on principles.” This was stated by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in a press briefing after a government session, responding to a question about whether Azerbaijan would be able to transfer weapons and troops through Syunik to Nakhchivan.

“We need to ask ourselves: do we want our weapons and troops to pass through Nakhchivan? Because in our reality, we always talk about others but do not discuss our own situation. When we decide that we want to transport weapons via the railway through Nakhchivan to Meghri and in the opposite direction, we will open negotiations on such a topic. If we decide that we do not want that, then we will adopt the appropriate resolution and continue accordingly,” he stated.

According to him, any issues related to the opening of regional infrastructure and the “Trump Route” should be viewed based on five fundamental principles; any discussions outside of that framework cannot occur.

It should be recalled that on August 8, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a seven-point joint declaration in Washington, which outlines the establishment of a strategic transit route through Armenia’s southern region (Syunik Province) known as the “Trump Route” (TRIPP), providing Azerbaijan with trade access to Nakhchivan. The United States is leasing the road for 99 years, with the possibility of extending the lease for another 99 years.