PM: Armenia ready to ensure free movement between mainland Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan

Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has expressed readiness to ensure unhindered communication between mainland Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan, in accordance with previously stated principles of territorial integrity, sovereignty, and jurisdiction.

“We must abandon the logic of conflict. But this will not happen immediately, neither in Armenia nor in Azerbaijan. The wheel that has been turning for over 35 years cannot be stopped instantly. Tangible benefits from peace can provide more than discussions about challenges and doubts. New times are coming; we must work more focusedly to make the most of this historic opportunity for the development, freedom, happiness, and well-being of Armenia and its citizens,” Caliber.Az quotes Pashinyan as saying on his Facebook page.

He went on to say that the meaning and practical significance of the joint statement on the framework for implementing the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) is that peace is being established in Armenia and the region through very concrete and practical steps.

For the record, Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, following their meeting in Washington on January 13, issued a joint statement on the framework for implementing the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP). The document defines the overall mechanism for launching the project, aimed at creating unhindered multimodal transit connectivity through Armenian territory, including the connection between mainland Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan, as well as integration into the Trans-Caspian trade route.

“This has already become a reality. We need to treat the established peace with care. As a state and as a society, we do not know what it is like to live in peace. We are only gradually learning, and this is a very important process. Peace slowly enters our consciousness, and this is normal,” Pashinyan said at a government meeting on January 15.

He called it good news that reality “on the ground” allows peace to be established.

“Now agreements must be reached. In Armenia, a company called TRIPP should be created. Routes, construction rights, land use, and building permits must be determined. Preparations need to start today,” Pashinyan said.

By Khagan Isayev