Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan has stated that reopening transport routes in the South Caucasus would mean facilitating free trade and investing in broader economic networks connecting different regions, including Europe and Asia.

Axar.az reports that he said that in this sense, the South Caucasus could become a unique hub at the crossroads of the North-South and East-West routes.

“The initiatives put forward in the region, the Middle Corridor being implemented, and the seamless connectivity of goods, energy resources, and fiber-optic cables between Europe, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia are of mutual interest to all,” he said, adding that normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations could become a key factor turning regional connectivity into real economic opportunities and results.

Khachaturyan noted that while the South Caucasus was previously seen as part of the European neighborhood or a conditional border, today no project can achieve full strategic importance or realize its potential without it.

He also added that within the framework of new initiatives, the shortest route between the Caspian and Marmara Seas is being opened through the territories of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkiye.

“It is clear that opening channels leads to economic freedom, which in turn leads to open market relations, direct investments, and so on,” Khachaturyan said.

Vahagn Khachaturyan emphasized that the “Trump Route” is of great importance in this regard.