Armenia has officially appealed to Georgia with a request to relocate a section of the gas pipeline. According to the submitted documents, the decision is based on security risks: the Armenian section of the pipeline runs through a trilateral (Georgian-Armenian-Azerbaijani) border zone that has been mined since the 1990s. Under these conditions, it is impossible not only to ensure minimum safety standards but also to carry out necessary technical maintenance and repairs, the justification states. International affairs expert Armen Manvelyan commented on why such changes have actually become necessary.
The Issue Lies in Secret Agreements
In his assessment, the matter is not about security, but about political arrangements. Manvelyan believes that the authorities’ justification — claiming that the section is located in a mined area — “absolutely does not correspond to reality.”
“Look at their justification that the section is supposedly in some mined area — it completely fails to match reality. There is only one reason: there is a secret agreement with the Azerbaijani side to hand over the so-called ‘enclaves,’ which have no legal basis, because there are no enclaves on the territory of Armenia,” he noted.
According to Manvelyan, it is precisely through the territory of these “enclaves” that the gas pipeline passes, and the authorities understand that if the territories are transferred, Azerbaijan will gain serious leverage over Armenia’s energy infrastructure.
Risks of Territorial Control
The political analyst emphasized that even relocating the pipeline does not solve the main problem. In his opinion, no matter how far it is moved — 2, 5, or even 10 kilometers — the infrastructure will still end up under Azerbaijani control, either directly or indirectly.
Manvelyan warned that this means the Azerbaijani side could damage the pipeline at any moment.
He also pointed out that the issue is not limited to the gas pipeline alone. According to him, it also concerns the railway and the Armenia–Georgia highway, which could similarly fall under Azerbaijani control.
“This already means that not only the gas pipeline, but also the railway and the road leading to Georgia will be at risk. In other words, the Armenia-Georgia road could come under direct Azerbaijani control,” he said.
Preparation for the Handover of Territories
Manvelyan is convinced that the current processes are a preparatory stage for the next round of territorial concessions. According to him, the appeal to Georgia is a clear manifestation of this policy.
The political scientist also drew attention to the fact that these processes are taking place during the pre-election period, when the authorities talk about sovereignty and independence on the one hand, but on the other hand fulfill all of Azerbaijan’s demands.
He stressed that relocating the pipeline will require additional financial costs, even though this infrastructure has operated without any issues for approximately 35 years.
Thus, according to Manvelyan’s assessment, the initiative to relocate the gas pipeline should be viewed as part of a broader political process that will have long-term consequences for Armenia.