Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, in his speech at the CIS Summit in Dushanbe, highlighted the significance of the TRIPP project in Armenia for the broader region, noting that it opens up new export and import opportunities for CIS member states.
Below is the translated transcript of the Prime Minister’s speech published by his office.
“First of all, I would like to sincerely thank our Tajik friends and, personally, His Excellency President Rahmon for the warm welcome and for organizing today’s summit at such a high level.
I would also like to extend special thanks to the Tajik side for successfully carrying out the CIS chairmanship this year.
Dear colleagues,
I am pleased to note that peace has been established between Armenia and Azerbaijan after a long-standing conflict, and a fundamental document in this process has been the founding document of the CIS — the Alma-Ata Declaration of 1991.
On August 8 of this year, following the Peace Summit held in Washington at the initiative of President Trump, President Aliyev and I adopted a declaration which states that Armenia and Azerbaijan recognize the need to chart a path toward a bright future, not bound by the conflict of the past, and in line with the UN Charter and the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration.
Allow me to quote from the Washington Declaration:
" The conditions have been created for our nations to finally embark on building good neighborly relations on the basis of the inviolability of international borders and the inadmissibility of the use of force for the acquisition of territory after the conflict that brought immense human suffering. This reality, which is not and should never be subject to revision, paves the way for closing the chapter of enmity between our two nations. We resolutely reject and exclude any attempt of revenge, now and in the future.”
In the same Declaration, the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan reaffirmed the importance of opening communications between the two countries for intra-state, bilateral, and international transport, based on respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and jurisdiction of the states, with the goal of promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and beyond.
These efforts must include unimpeded communication through the territory of the Republic of Armenia between the main part of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, with reciprocal benefits for Armenia in international and domestic transport.
It was also recorded that the Republic of Armenia will work with the United States of America and other mutually agreed third parties to define the framework for implementing the "Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity" (or TRIPP) project on the territory of Armenia.
The TRIPP project provides Armenia with the opportunity to establish rail and other transport links with CIS member state Azerbaijan and other CIS countries.
This is a significant development that will undoubtedly contribute to strengthening economic ties within the CIS and enhancing the organization's productivity.
The TRIPP project also opens up new export and import opportunities for CIS countries.
Dear colleagues,
Before the Washington Summit — back in March of this year — Armenia and Azerbaijan were able to agree on the draft “Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations,” thus completing negotiations on the draft with a positive outcome.
This document also references the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration.
In this context, the parties confirmed their understanding that the borders between the former Soviet Socialist Republics of the USSR have become the international borders of the respective independent states. Accordingly, Armenia and Azerbaijan recognize and will respect each other’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, the inviolability of international borders, and political independence.
This means that both countries recognize that the territory of the Republic of Armenia is identical to that of the Armenian SSR, and the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan is identical to that of the Azerbaijani SSR, and that the borders encompassing these territories are inviolable.
The "Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan" was initialed at the White House by the foreign ministers of the two countries, in the presence of the President of the United States, the President of Azerbaijan, and myself. I hope and am confident that we will sign and ratify this agreement in the near future.
It is noteworthy that in 2024, Armenia and Azerbaijan signed and ratified their first bilateral document. This refers to the “Regulation on the Joint Activity of the Border Delimitation Commissions of the Two Countries,” which was signed by the Deputy Prime Ministers of both countries and ratified in both Armenia and Azerbaijan, thereby gaining the highest legal force.
This regulation also affirms the 1991 Alma-Ata Declaration — the founding document of the CIS — as the main principle for interstate border delimitation between the two countries. Based on this principle, in 2024, a 12-kilometer section of the state border between our countries was successfully delimited.
Dear colleagues,
I am happy to share all this with you, although it’s important to understand that the establishment of peace does not mean that all issues on the Armenia–Azerbaijan agenda have been resolved.
We still need to establish mutual trade, economic, political, and cultural ties, and resolve humanitarian issues — which is not an easy task, considering the long history of hostility.
However, the peace that has been established gives us the confidence that these issues will be resolved gradually.
In light of the peace that has been achieved, I would like to congratulate not only Armenia and Azerbaijan but all CIS member states, because I know that all of you truly wanted this to happen — and it has happened.
Peace is now a reality, and I congratulate all of us on this occasion and express my gratitude to CIS partners for their support during this period.
Thank you for your attention.”
