Amid preparations for TRIPP, Armenia creates commission on border with Iran

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has appointed a negotiating commission on issues of taking inventory of border infrastructure with Iran and holding talks with the Iranian side.

As reported on the official portal of the Armenian government, the commission will be headed by the chief of the department of neighboring countries of Armenia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (currently the acting chairman is Avetik Harutyunyan). The commission will also include the head of the border delimitation division of that ministry department.

The commission will also include two representatives of the General Staff of the republic's Armed Forces, one of the advisers to the minister of justice, three employees of the National Security Service, including the head of the border troops division, as well as the head of one of the divisions of the State Committee of the Real Estate Cadastre.

Recall that earlier Armenian Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan visited the border zone as part of the preparatory work for designing the TRIPP route.

The TRIPP project (Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity) provides for the creation of a strategic transit corridor through Armenia's Syunik province. It is emphasized that it will operate exclusively within Armenian jurisdiction and does not affect the country's sovereignty

Under the project, Armenia will grant the United States exclusive long-term rights for a period of up to 99 years to develop the route, through which Azerbaijan expects to establish a land connection with Nakhchivan. It provides for the creation of a company with a controlling stake held by the U.S., while Armenia has control mechanisms on matters of principle. At the first stage, the U.S. is offered a 74% stake, Armenia — 26%, with the possibility of increasing Armenia's share to 49% when the agreement is extended.

On May 26, during a short visit by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to Yerevan, Armenia and the United States initialed the above-mentioned framework agreement, and in early June they signed it.

Source: Sputnik Armenia