Sargis Khandanyan on Relations Between Armenia and Turkey

The Chairman of the Permanent Commission on Foreign Relations of the National Assembly of Armenia, Sargis Khandanyan, stated:

“My speech at the 23rd autumn session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Istanbul, titled 'Bridging Perspectives: Strengthening Dialogue, Mediation, and Trust in an Era of Uncertainty':

“Madam Chair, first of all, I would like to thank the Turkish delegation for hosting us in Istanbul and congratulate them on the excellent organization of the 23rd autumn session. Dear colleagues, during our previous sessions, we have expressed hope and cautious optimism that Armenia and Azerbaijan are on the verge of achieving peace. Today, for the first time in the history of this parliamentary assembly, I have the honor to joyfully declare that peace has been established between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The historic peace declaration signed in Washington on August 8 is a firm and genuine commitment from both countries to advance the peace process and finally close the chapter on the conflict. We appreciate the significant role of the United States and the leadership of President Trump, who has truly made the subject of our discussion today a reality.

The Washington statement lays a solid foundation for a new era of cooperation and development of relations based on respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the inviolability of borders. It also serves as a basis for moving forward to resolve all other issues, including the signing and ratification of the peace agreement between our two countries, which was preliminarily signed during the Washington summit.

Our discussions on the opening of regional communications have now become more than practical, incorporating steps aimed at implementing the TRIPP route within Armenia’s 'Peace Crossroads' initiative. This route will benefit not only the South Caucasus region but will also have global significance, linking Central Asia with Europe.

The path ahead requires us to have patience and caring to build mutual trust. A significant step in building trust was the closure of the OSCE Minsk Process and related structures based on the joint application of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

And finally, being here in Turkey, I cannot help but express my optimism that the normalization process of relations between Armenia and Turkey will also soon yield positive results. The ongoing constructive and active political dialogue gives us hope that it will soon transform into the institutionalization of our relationships, the opening of borders, and broader cooperation.

Thank you.”