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Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed Wednesday to further explore opportunities to expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation during talks between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates.
In a statement issued after expanded talks in the Emirati capital, Azerbaijan’s presidency said the two leaders welcomed progress in implementing the outcomes of their August summit in Washington, DC, which was witnessed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The statement said the sides stressed the importance of maintaining positive momentum in advancing the Azerbaijan-Armenia normalization process on a bilateral basis, noting that both societies are beginning to see “real benefits of peace on the ground.”
Aliyev and Pashinyan expressed satisfaction with the start of bilateral trade, including ongoing exports of oil products from Azerbaijan to Armenia, as well as the transit of grain and other goods from third countries to Armenia through Azerbaijani territory, the statement said.
“The sides agreed to further explore opportunities to expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation,” it added.
The leaders also welcomed reciprocal visits by civil society representatives and agreed on the need to broaden confidence-building measures.
According to the statement, Aliyev and Pashinyan discussed the implementation of the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity project, known as TRIPP, as well as other regional connectivity initiatives.
The two leaders “reaffirmed their readiness to continue working toward the further strengthening of peace and stability between their countries and agreed to maintain contacts in support of the bilateral normalization process,” the statement said.
An identical statement on the results of the expanded talks was also released by the Armenian prime minister’s office.
At a trilateral summit at the White House on Aug. 8, attended by Aliyev, Pashinyan, and U.S. President Donald Trump, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a declaration aimed at ending decades of conflict. The declaration pledged to halt hostilities, reopen transportation routes and normalize relations.
Under the agreement, the TRIPP project is expected to link mainland Azerbaijan with its Nakhchivan exclave through Armenian territory.
In recent weeks, Azerbaijan has carried out multiple shipments of domestically produced petroleum products to Armenia, beginning in late December, as the two South Caucasus neighbors take steps to improve ties after years of conflict.
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