Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan clarified the reference to “third countries” in the US State Department’s statement on the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) project.

At a joint press conference Friday with his visiting Estonian counterpart in Yerevan, Mirzoyan, answering a question about the meaning of the aforesaid American statement, noted that despite unfavorable—to put it mildly—global developments, work on this project continues. According to the Armenian FM, the preparation and approval of the necessary documents are currently underway, and the parties are constantly exchanging information on their positions on various issues.

“We hope to start construction as soon as possible. For this, we will need third parties. The agreement between Armenia and the US is bilateral. However, the participation of third countries will be necessary during the construction phase; possibly also in matters of system management,” the Armenian official explained.

According to him, it is no secret that the TRIPP project is in the interests of many countries, from China to Portugal, not counting the immediate neighbors.

The Armenian FM reminded that this project will conclude in Azerbaijan at one end, and in Nakhchivan at the other, but its logical continuation is the connection with the Armenian railways through Yeraskh and the Turkish roads through Kars-Gyumri.

The countries of Central Asia are also interested in this project, and it was discussed during the recent visit by the minister of foreign affairs and the minister of transport of Kazakhstan to Armenia.