I expect that the Armenian authorities will ask US Vice President Vance to put pressure on the Azerbaijani government to release the Armenian prisoners held in Azerbaijan, including the military-political leadership of the Republic of Artsakh. Opposition MP Artur Khachatryan on Monday told this to reporters at the National Assembly of Armenia.

“Now you will say, ‘From what did I assume that they [i.e. the Armenian authorities] would do such a thing?’ Of course they will not. But the [Armenian] opposition and the society must take steps so that [US] Vice President [JD] Vance discusses these matters in Azerbaijan,” Khachatryan added.

“The other issue is the issue of the unblocking of Armenia. TRIPP [i.e. the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity project] does not regulate the issue of the unblocking of Armenia in any way. The ‘mutual advantage’ written in the August 8 document is everything except the unblocking of the roads entering and leaving Armenia from Azerbaijan, because in order for Armenia to be unblocked, at least the railway and motorway on the Yeraskh-Nakhichevan border must be operational, as well as the road going from Ijevan to Kazakh. In addition, if energy infrastructure is to pass through TRIPP, then Armenia should also receive such an opportunity based on the principle of reciprocity. But apparently the Armenian authorities will be afraid to make such demands on Azerbaijan,” noted the opposition lawmaker.

“The [August 8] document notes that there should be a differentiated approach towards Azerbaijan; that is the very essence of the corridor. Azerbaijan is given a corridor, in return, Azerbaijan allows third-country products to be imported [to Armenia] through its territory; imported, but not exported. And we [i.e. Armenia] say that it should be on the principle of reciprocity; ‘whatever you give, Azerbaijan should give the same.’ That is, Armenian trains should be able to enter Azerbaijan from Ijevan without hindrance, enter the railway networks of third countries with the same regulations," said Artur Khachatryan.