Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the parties were seeking a compromise that takes their interests into account regarding Russia’s concession to operate Armenia’s railways.
Speaking at a briefing, Pashinyan said they were not considering taking drastic steps to resolve the issue. He said the parties needed to understand each other’s interests and reach a compromise, adding that they wanted an amicable solution.
Concession sale among the options
Pashinyan said there were multiple options for resolving the railway concession issue. The complete or partial sale of the concession held by Russia is among those options.
The Armenian prime minister said the issue could not be explained solely by Russia’s ownership of the concession. Pashinyan said the main risk was that Armenia could miss its historic opportunity to integrate into the international transport network.
Routes bypassing Armenia
Pashinyan said major potential users that could use Armenia’s railway infrastructure had not yet shown investment interest. He said these actors were seeking alternative routes that bypass Armenia.
Relations with the Eurasian Economic Union
Pashinyan also commented on Armenia’s relations with the Eurasian Economic Union. He said Russia expected exclusive relations to be established with Armenia, but Yerevan did not accept this approach.
Stating that Armenia needed to diversify its relations, Pashinyan said his country’s agenda would not change even if the problems related to exports were resolved.