Leaders Aliyev and Pashinyan have agreed on a ceasefire accord

Leaders Aliyev and Pashinyan have agreed on a ceasefire accord

The United States has announced plans for a significant infrastructure project in the South Caucasus, known as the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP). This secured, uninterrupted transit corridor aims to link mainland Azerbaijan with its exclave of Nakhchivan, bypassing Iran, and operating under Armenian sovereignty and legal framework but administered and secured by the United States for 99 years.

The corridor, stretching approximately 27 miles through Armenia’s Syunik province, includes infrastructure development such as new roads, a modern rail link, and potentially oil and natural gas pipelines. It is expected to provide mutual and reciprocal benefits by improving intra- and international connectivity, linking Turkey, Europe, Central Asia, and possibly extending to China and South Asia through transit networks.

Armenia has granted the U.S. operational rights for 99 years over the corridor, signalling deep American involvement and long-term commitment. TRIPP officially resulted from a joint declaration by the U.S., Azerbaijan, and Armenia, aiming for a peaceful settlement and normalization between the two countries following their conflict.

The corridor passes through the city of Meghri in the Syunik region of Armenia and exits to the border with Turkey. The agreements also aim to expand cooperation in energy, trade, and high technology. The specifics regarding the corridor's operation and management are not yet specified.

The project tackles longstanding division and transit problems by opening direct transport links where previously only restrictive or conflict-laden routes existed. It bypasses Iran’s transit corridor role, reducing Tehran’s influence over Azerbaijan’s land access to Nakhchivan, a longstanding strategic concern for Iran.

TRIPP sustains Armenian sovereignty and jurisdiction over the corridor, addressing Armenian concerns about territorial integrity despite enabling transit for Azerbaijan. It introduces a powerful new external guarantor and peace-building actor—the U.S.—whose engagement might provide security assurances, investment, and oversight, potentially stabilizing the fragile balance in the region.

The corridor is expected to reshape East-West trade flows and regional cooperation, fostering economic interdependence that could reduce hostilities and create incentives for lasting peace. Russia remains cautiously observant, emphasizing the need to consider its own security presence in Armenia and Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union during the corridor’s implementation.

Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, described the agreements as an opportunity to promote peace and end confrontation and bloodshed. Baku has demanded a change in the Armenian Constitution. The Armenian Constitution still contains a 1989 appeal for unification with Nagorno-Karabakh.

The United States is planning to sign separate agreements with Yerevan and Baku. The document grants Washington exclusive rights to develop a transit corridor through the South Caucasus. American companies are prepared to invest in the infrastructure of both countries. Nikol Pashinyan, the Prime Minister of Armenia, emphasized that the agreements open the way for peace, security, and economic development in the South Caucasus.

The U.S. will have the ability to attract international partners for the construction and management of the corridor's infrastructure. The agreements aim to lift restrictions on defense interaction with Azerbaijan. However, it remains unclear how the agreement will address the main contentious issues, such as border delimitation.

1. The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) is expected to include oil and natural gas pipelines, linking it to the field of energy, a significant sector in the global finance industry.
2. The long-term commitment of the United States towards the TRIPP corridor, as signified by a 99-year operational rights grant, could potentially influence the policy-and-legislation decisions related to the South Caucasus, highlighting the connection between politics and this project.
3. The expected benefits of the TRIPP corridor, such as improved connectivity and potential economic development, are likely to be covered extensively in general news, making it a topic of interest for the public and the media.

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