Rubio: Peace and Prosperity Reinforce Each Other; TRIPP Is More Than an Infrastructure Project

WASHINGTON DC — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a statement marking the first anniversary of the agreement reached among Armenia, the United States and Azerbaijan regarding implementation of the TRIPP initiative.

The statement reads:

“One year ago today, President Trump secured peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan by hosting Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan at the White House and witnessing their signing of a historic joint declaration. The declaration brought an end to decades of conflict in the South Caucasus and laid the foundation for the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP).

“Over the past twelve months, the United States has worked closely with Armenia and Azerbaijan to turn that promise into tangible progress.

“TRIPP, a multimodal transit route designed to modernize rail, road, energy and digital infrastructure, is steadily moving closer to becoming a reality. Architectural and engineering studies for the railway have already begun in Armenia, while Azerbaijan has nearly completed construction of the highway and railway intended to connect with Armenia.

“Peace has created an opportunity to deepen relations among the United States, Armenia and Azerbaijan, contributing to greater economic prosperity for all three countries.

“Today, I am pleased to announce that the Trans-Caspian Enterprise Fund is now operational. The fund is overseen by a newly appointed board of directors and has $201 million in capital provided by the U.S. government.”

Editor’s note: The U.S. government’s official spending database recently reported that the fund’s capitalization had doubled to $402 million.

“The fund is intended to promote private-sector investment in the South Caucasus and Central Asia along the Trans-Caspian Trade Route, also known as the Middle Corridor.

“This progress demonstrates a simple truth: peace and prosperity reinforce one another. TRIPP is more than an infrastructure project. It is a vital link in the Trans-Caspian Trade Route, a driver of new commercial opportunities for the United States and other countries, and an example of how economic cooperation can strengthen peace following the resolution of longstanding disputes.

“The United States remains fully committed to working with Armenia and Azerbaijan to build upon this foundation and take further steps forward.

“We congratulate both countries for the courage and foresight they have demonstrated over the past year and look forward to continued progress toward stable and lasting peace in the South Caucasus.”