Nikol Pashinyan on Unblocking Issues

Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has addressed the procedural and principled questions concerning the organization of communication between the main part of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan through the territory of Armenia, in accordance with the trilateral statement signed by Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the United States.

“At this moment, there are only the documents that have been signed. And there are no other documents or agreements related to the general project,” the Prime Minister stated.

He quoted the third point of the trilateral statement signed by Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the USA: “We reaffirmed the importance of opening communications between the two countries for domestic, bilateral, and international transport, based on respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and jurisdiction of states, to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and beyond. These efforts will include unhindered communication through the territory of the Republic of Armenia between the main part of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, with mutual benefits for international and domestic communications for the Republic of Armenia.”

Pashinyan emphasized that whatever solutions emerge from future discussions and negotiations must align with the frameworks of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and jurisdiction, and the principle of reciprocity must be in effect. “Why am I responding this way? Because we have not yet delved into the details at this stage, and we have done well not to, as the details depend on attitudes towards global issues, which not only have we addressed but also agreed upon and signed. Therefore, whatever the solutions may be, they must fit within the framework of principles of sovereignty, jurisdiction, territorial integrity, and inviolability of borders, and operate on the basis of reciprocity. I believe there is no room for misinterpretation here,” he concluded.

The fourth point of the joint statement signed by Armenia, Azerbaijan, and the USA establishes that the Republic of Armenia will work with the United States and mutually agreed third parties to define the scope of the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) communication program within the territory of the Republic of Armenia. The parties reaffirm their determination to take all necessary measures in good faith to achieve this goal as quickly as possible. It is within the framework of this program that the connection between the main part of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan will be implemented.