PM announces plans for transit gas pipeline through Armenia

YEREVAN. May 28 (Interfax) - Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced that a transit gas pipeline will be built through the country and that Armenia will continue reforms to move toward European standards.

"Today we already have a railway from the east to the west, the Akhalkalaki-Kars (Georgia-Turkey) railway has opened to us, a railway through Azerbaijan is open, the TRIPP ["Trump Route"] will soon open, a gas pipeline will run through the territory of our country. We will receive gas for this transit," Pashinyan said at a meeting with voters amid his election campaign.

He did not provide other details, but said Armenia will also develop alternative energy.

He also said the country has passed a law to start the process of joining the European Union.

"For now Armenia can simultaneously be a member of the EAEU [Eurasian Economic Union] and continue reforms to achieve European standards. We will go down this path. When the time comes to choose, we'll make a choice, [...] we must have an alternative, so that no one can say about Armenia "who needs it, it has nowhere to go,"" Pashinyan said.

The country is becoming a global crossroads, he said. "Armenia is needed by the north and the south, and the east and the west. And all of them must make their best offer to the people of Armenia, who will make their choice. We're no longer the dead end of a conflict, we're the crossroads of the world," Pashinyan said.