Trump called the Zangezur corridor a key point in the declaration signed by Baku and Yerevan
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US President Donald Trump stated that the key issue that prevented the signing of a peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan has been resolved, and this is the issue of the Zangezur corridor. The foreign ministers of the two countries appealed to the OSCE with a proposal to dissolve the Minsk Group.
As "Caucasian Knot" wrote, at a meeting in Washington on August 8, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a declaration on the cessation of hostilities.
Armenia is considering the possibility of transferring control over the Zangezur corridor to an American company, the country's deputy foreign minister said. This statement was made against the backdrop of a meeting between Ilham Aliyev and Nikol Pashinyan in Abu Dhabi, where, according to sources, the issue of the corridor was also discussed. Reaching agreements on the corridor without involving Russia means a significant weakening of its position in the region and indicates a gradual extrusion from the South Caucasus. At the same time, Moscow cannot offer alternative transport routes, Russian analysts noted. US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said that the US offered Armenia and Azerbaijan to lease the Zangezur corridor for 100 years.
US President Donald Trump said after signing the declaration that Yerevan and Baku had managed to resolve the problem that had prevented the achievement of a peace agreement, and that problem was the Zangezur corridor. "We have resolved the key issue that has thwarted previous negotiations. This declaration enshrines the name of the corridor, which is a great honor for me, I did not ask for it: "The Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity," the US President said, as quoted by Interfax.
According to him, the new transit zone will allow Azerbaijan to gain full access to Nakhchivan, but at the same time, Armenia's sovereignty is fully respected. "Armenia is also creating an exclusive partnership with the United States to develop this corridor," Trump added, also stating that "significant infrastructure development by American companies" should be expected in the coming years.
"In addition, the United States is signing bilateral agreements with both countries to expand cooperation in energy trade and technology, including artificial intelligence, as well as energy," the US President also said.
The foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan also appealed to the OSCE to dissolve the Minsk Group. The declaration signed in Washington states that The signatories "witnessed the signing of a joint appeal" by ministers to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe on the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk process and related structures. "We call on all OSCE participating States to accept this decision," the declaration says.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with American television channels that it is important to maintain relations with the United States at the level of strategic partnership in order to protect Azerbaijan's interests. On his instructions, a delegation has been formed to discuss a charter of cooperation with the United States. It is planned to develop it within a few months. According to Aliyev, "this format of strategic partnership covers many important areas: mutual investment, trade, energy, communications, transit, artificial intelligence, defense sales, and the fight against terrorism."
The signing of the declaration was welcomed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who wrote on the X social network: "The statement by Armenia and Azerbaijan is long-awaited news on the path to lasting peace. The timely implementation of the agreed steps is now of crucial importance." She also added that the European Union "supports efforts to normalize the situation in order to achieve sustainable peace, stability and prosperity in the region."
The Turkish Foreign Ministry expressed satisfaction with the signing of the trilateral declaration. "We are pleased with the progress made in establishing a lasting peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the expression of will recorded in Washington today," the ministry said in a statement.
Recall that in January 2024, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev called the opening of the Zangezur corridor through Armenia to Nakhchivan a condition for opening the border with Armenia. Yerevan has never committed to opening the Zangezur corridor to connect the main part of Azerbaijan and Nakhchivan, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan objected and called Aliyev's speech "a serious blow to the peace process."
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