We Have a Historic Opportunity to Ensure Not Only Peace but also Prosperity and Development in the South Caucasus — Prime Minister of Armenia

TBILISI — Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan delivered a speech at the 5th Silk Road Forum held in Tbilisi.

“We have a historic opportunity to ensure not only peace but also a prosperous and developing South Caucasus,” Pashinyan wrote on his Facebook page, sharing a video of his address.

In his remarks, the Prime Minister recalled that in October 2023, during his first appearance at the Silk Road Forum, he presented the Armenian government’s Crossroads of Peace initiative for the first time — a project that has since received strong support from international partners.

Pashinyan noted with satisfaction that there has been significant progress in this regard:

“On August 8, 2025, in Washington, President Aliyev of Azerbaijan and I adopted the Declaration of Peace, which was also signed as a witness by U.S. President Donald Trump. The declaration makes special reference to regional connectivity routes,” he said, emphasizing that Azerbaijan has already taken an important step in this direction.

According to Pashinyan, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced that Azerbaijan would lift restrictions on the transit of goods to Armenia through its territory.

“This is an extremely important statement, and I want to express my appreciation to the President of Azerbaijan for this decision and to welcome it wholeheartedly,” the Prime Minister said.

He added that something once thought impossible is now happening:

“Grain is being imported to Armenia from Kazakhstan through Azerbaijan and Georgia. For this development, I also wish to express my gratitude to the Presidents of Kazakhstan and Georgia’s Prime Minister,” Pashinyan concluded.