Issue of Armenians Held in Azerbaijan Remains a Serious Problem That Must Be Resolved – Speaker of the National Assembly Addresses Euronest

YEREVAN — During the 12th plenary session of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly held in Yerevan, Speaker of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan addressed the ongoing peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the declaration signed in Washington, and new initiatives for regional cooperation.

Simonyan noted that significant progress has been achieved toward establishing peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as evidenced by the joint declaration signed on August 8, 2025, in Washington by the leaders of both countries with the participation of the President of the United States. On the same day, the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan also initialed the draft agreement on peace and the establishment of interstate relations.

“The adoption of the declaration and the initialing of the peace agreement signify that peace has effectively been established. However, a number of unresolved humanitarian issues remain. The matter of individuals and prisoners of war still held in Azerbaijan remains a serious problem that must be addressed. Another important humanitarian priority is clarifying the fate of numerous missing persons,” Simonyan stated.

He emphasized that following the meeting in Washington, Armenia will continue cooperating with the United States and mutually agreed third parties to implement the international peace and prosperity initiative known as the ‘Trump Route’ (TRIPP).

“The TRIPP project stems from Armenia’s own vision to ensure uninterrupted regional connectivity through its ‘Crossroads of Peace’ initiative. It envisions the development of railways, highways, pipelines, power transmission lines, and communication cables linking Armenia, Azerbaijan, and neighboring countries,” Simonyan said.

The Speaker also noted that Armenia welcomes the European Union’s new strategic approach toward the Black Sea region, which, in his view, could provide fresh momentum for regional stability and mutually beneficial cooperation.