YEREVAN, July 21 — Armenia is prepared to begin construction on a 42-kilometer railway in the Syunik region, but only after reaching an agreement with Azerbaijan, according to a statement from the spokesperson for Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.
Speaking to Armenian media, Nazeli Baghdasaryan emphasized that the railway cannot function—even for domestic freight—without coordination with Baku.
“Without Azerbaijan’s consent, this railway cannot be used even for internal transportation in Armenia,” she said. “Therefore, construction will commence immediately after agreements with Baku are finalized. Preparatory work is already underway, including the construction of a new road for the village of Nrnadzor, which currently relies on the old railway route for vehicle access.”
Baghdasaryan reiterated that Yerevan is interested in unblocking all regional transportation routes with its neighbors—part of broader efforts to normalize relations and enhance connectivity in the South Caucasus.
However, observers note that while Armenia’s willingness to engage is encouraging, the lack of progress in actual negotiations and continuing political mistrust between the two countries raise questions about the feasibility of these infrastructure ambitions.
